Head on over to the Mortal Instruments Cast-O-Rama (click the image below) and vote for your favorite actor picks for Jace, Simon, Clary, and the rest. You can even embed the lists into your own website!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Mortal Instrument Fans - Check This Out!
There's been a lot of hoopla over who will be cast as Jace in the upcoming Mortal Instruments film. ReelzChannel.com decided to get YOUR casting opinion, but not just for Jace.
Head on over to the Mortal Instruments Cast-O-Rama (click the image below) and vote for your favorite actor picks for Jace, Simon, Clary, and the rest. You can even embed the lists into your own website!
Head on over to the Mortal Instruments Cast-O-Rama (click the image below) and vote for your favorite actor picks for Jace, Simon, Clary, and the rest. You can even embed the lists into your own website!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Write Teen: Kristen Tracy and Nina LaCour to Teach Writing Classes
If you're writing teen fiction and you live in the Bay Area, you ought to check out the Write Teen classes. Seriously. Then come back here and tell me all about the classes, since I can't be there in person and need to live vicariously through you. Here's the inside scoop:
Click here to see the full-page flyer.
In a brand-new series of Bay Area writing classes, Kristen Tracy and Nina LaCour will teach you how to craft and publish a marketable teen novel. Together they have sold eleven novels to Simon & Schuster, Random House, Disney-Hyperion, and Penguin. They'll share their own strategies for writing and revision, and help you analyze critically and commercially successful teen novels. Nina and Kristen are both experienced teachers who have lectured and led workshops about writing throughout the country.
Learn more and register for classes at http://www.writeteen.com
Click here to see the full-page flyer.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Get There's No Place Like Home by Jen Calonita autographed!
I'M GOING TO LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET...
From March 1st through March 26th, you can have your copy of There's No Place Like Home by Jen Calonita autographed and get an exclusive Secrets bookmark!
HOW?
Here's the scoop from Jen Calonita herself: If you purchase There's No Place Like Home during those dates, AND you live in the U.S., then you can send Jen an email with your name (which is the name she'll assume you want on the autograph dedication -- but tell her if it is otherwise!), and address, and Jen will send you a personalized bookplate, which is a sticker. The sticker goes right inside your book on the title page and the bookmark, well, you guys know how those work!
Email Jen: info@jencalonitaonline.com
WHAT'S THE CATCH?
To prove you're reading the final book, you have to answer one question correctly: What role does Alexis Holden, Kaitlin and Sky's nemesis, get in this book?
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
Jen says: "There's No Place Like Home, the final Secrets novel, is in stores now (or if it's not, it will be any day!) and it's a bittersweet moment for me. I'm so thankful to all of you for sticking with Kaitlin (and me!) for six books and I wish I could tell you all that in person! Since I can't, I wanted to find a way to thank you and this seemed like a great way to do it. I hope you enjoy this giveaway as much as I do!"
Learn more about the author at her official website:
http://www.jencalonitaonline.com
Learn more about There's No Place Like Home.
Read an excerpt of the book. (PDF)
Read all of the books in the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
the Mirror of Yu-Huang
Megan is looking forward to a quiet Christmas break that doesn't include more adventures in the Library of Athena. But then her wish is dashed when the headmistress gets her father to host a New Year's ball. This means yet more people will be staying at her house. Last time this happened someone died. Then she receives a mysterious gift that hints that someone knows about the library and her connection to it. Looks like this Christmas break will be an adventure after all. The Mirror of Yu-Huang continues the Library of Athena series. Fans of the series will enjoy this tale. So will others who love a good fantasy.
Click here to read more.
Click here to read more.
Review: The Properties of Water
How would you feel if your older sister was seriously injured in a swimming accident? You know things will never be the same but can you really face that fact? Could you go near the lake where the accident took place? Can you bear to see your friends? Or your sister's friends?
The Properties of Water by Hannah Roberts McKinnon is a beautifully written exploration of Lace Martin's feelings when her older sister, Marni, gets injured jumping off Turtle Rock at the lake by their Maine home. It is a must read. For my full review, click here.
The Properties of Water by Hannah Roberts McKinnon is a beautifully written exploration of Lace Martin's feelings when her older sister, Marni, gets injured jumping off Turtle Rock at the lake by their Maine home. It is a must read. For my full review, click here.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Review: Secrets and Shadows
After reading 13 to Life, I was anxious to find out what would happen to Jess, Pietr, and the rest of the Rusakova family in Secrets and Shadows. How could you not be anxious when you were dealing with werewolves, the CIA, and the Russian Mafia?
Secrets and Shadows is filled with many plot twists and turns, which I was excited about. I definitely didn’t predict many of the turns. Shannon Delany does an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged. The ending completely caught me off guard and I found myself wanting more.
To read my full review click here
Secrets and Shadows is filled with many plot twists and turns, which I was excited about. I definitely didn’t predict many of the turns. Shannon Delany does an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged. The ending completely caught me off guard and I found myself wanting more.
To read my full review click here
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Accidental Genius of Weasel High
Larkin Pace dreams of being the next great filmmaker. He loves watching old time movies and repeating lines from them. If only his relationship with his long time friend Brooke was as easy. Add to that the challenge of being fourteen. When his English teacher gives his class an assigment to maintain a personal blog, Larkin records just how challenging life is. The Accidental Genius of Weasel High is the perfect book for Wimpy Kid fans who are now in high school. It's also a great book for those reluctant readers who love hilarious stories with a hero they can relate with.
Click here to read more
Click here to read more
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Review: Dorje's Stripes
A Buddhist monastery in the Himayalas has a companion in its midst—a Royal Bengal tiger named Dorje. But Dorje is unusual; he has no stripes. As the elder monk, Master Wu, begins to tell the tale of the unmarked cat, the other monks learn why Dorje’s stripes have vanished. Click here to read more.
Review: Around the World on Eighty Legs
Travel from the Arctic to Asia to Australia
Invasion
I have to be honest, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book, since it's all science fiction and X-fileish....however I loved it!
Colt McAlister was having the summer of his life. He spent his days surfing and his nights playing guitar on the beach with friends. He even met a girl and got his first car. But everything changes when his parents are killed in a freak accident. He's forced to leave his old life behind and move to Arizona with his grandfather. To read more of my review, click here.
Colt McAlister was having the summer of his life. He spent his days surfing and his nights playing guitar on the beach with friends. He even met a girl and got his first car. But everything changes when his parents are killed in a freak accident. He's forced to leave his old life behind and move to Arizona with his grandfather. To read more of my review, click here.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Interview with Kristin O'Donnell Tubb!
YABC recently got the chance to interview the fabulous Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, author of SELLING HOPE and AUTUMN WINIFRED OLIVER DOES THINGS DIFFERENT. Check out her answers to our questions below!
What sparked your inspiration to write a novel about Halley's Comet?
I like to think of Hope as a Happy Accident. Dalmatian Press had contracted me to write a workbook about space, “the universe in 64 pages,” as my editor said. I decided to include a section on comets. In researching Halley’s Comet, I discovered that in May of 1910, Earth had actually passed through the tail of the comet. Scientists realized months before that this phenomenon would occur, and newspapers worldwide printed the story. Fear of the unknown gripped the planet – will poisonous gasses fill the heavens and kill us all? People began prophesying the end of days. And where there is fear, there are people willing to cash in on it. Con artists sold everything from gas masks to lead umbrellas to trips to the moon! One particularly enterprising young man made and sold “comet pills.” I knew once I read those words – comet pills?! – it was a story I wanted to tell.
The 1910 setting you portray is so true to life and rich. I felt like I was actually there, experiencing Vaudeville and the fearful unknown of Halley's Comet. What kind of research did you do for SELLING HOPE?
Research is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. So many bizarre and breathtaking things happen every day, and the purpose of research is to uncover those gems and interpret them through the eyes of your main character. For SELLING HOPE I spent over a year researching Halley’s Comet, 1910 Chicago, and vaudeville. I love studying ads to see what things cost, what hairstyles and clothes were popular, what cars and kitchens looked like. And because I was researching vaudeville, I spent quite a chunk of time on YouTube looking at herky-jerky footage of ancient vaudeville skits – heaven!
Tell us about Buster Keaton. I must admit, I didn't know much about him until I read SELLING HOPE. I went online and watched a few of his comedy sketches, just so I could get to know this friend of Hope's. What made you want to include him in your novel?
The novel is set in 1910, and I wanted a male lead who was a popular vaudevillian at that time. Buster Keaton’s name popped up over and over again in my initial research, and because his legacy stretched into film, I was familiar with his work (I spent many a small-town Saturday night watching Buster Keaton movies in a church basement on a reel-to-reel projector. Man, that makes me sound ancient.)
Because I’d grown up being exposed to his work, I was comfortable trying to portray him in fiction. The more I researched him, I knew he was the perfect choice. He was an amazing talent, and his performance background was unbelievable – he started performing at age 3! He was handsome, too – check out his Wikipedia page here. I *then* found out that Buster’s fans – even today – are deeply devoted. There is an International Buster Keaton Society that holds annual conventions to study his performances. My hope is that I’ve portrayed him accurately enough to satisfy even his most devoted fans.
Throughout SELLING HOPE, Hope makes all kinds of zany one-liner jokes in her head. I found myself snorting out loud several times during each chapter. How did you come up with them?
Vaudeville was known for many things, but perhaps more than anything, for comedians and their one-liner jokes. These jokes were “swapped” (read: “stolen”) between performers on the circuits, so it was often hard to know who told the jokes originally. And the goal was to one-up the last comedian, so if a joke “killed” in Des Moines, it would often be stolen by another comedian by Chicago. I read several joke books while researching SELLING HOPE, including jokes that were attributed to legends Milton Berle and Ed Lowry. I flagged jokes that I thought might apply to Hope and her troupe, so many of the zingers that wound up in HOPE have been told for almost 100 years! Sometimes, though, the pacing of the story required a joke, but I couldn’t find one that would work. So, I wrote one. It’d be interesting to see if readers could see which jokes are mine and which ones originated many decades ago!
I loved that most of the book was set in Chicago. I lived there for several years and loved being able to picture the area as I read. Was there a particular reason you chose Chicago?
I love Chicago! My parents are from there, and I have gobs of family still in the area, so I visited there often growing up. I even lived in Chicago for two summers - never having to suffer a Chicago winter makes loving the city even easier! Because I was familiar with present-day Chicago, I was comfortable with being able to find the research to portray the city in 1910. Plus, it was a huge vaudeville hub. So it came together organically and through research. The Chicago History Museum has one of the best online research outlets I’ve ever found, and they were so helpful in finding those tidbits of information that make all the difference in plotting. (Like: what did it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in 1910 Chicago? You’ll have to read the book to find out.)
I loved each and every character in SELLING HOPE: Hope's quirky father, Cross-Eyed Jane, Buster (of course!), and even Mr. Whitting. Which character was your favorite to create and why?
Cross-Eyed Jane was and still is my favorite character in the book. She was the only character who popped into my head fully realized. The others (Hope, Nick, Whitting) all had secrets, things to hide. While that of course makes the writing fun and interesting and PURPOSEFUL, it also makes it challenging. Jane is supporting cast, through and through. I love her for it.
Can you tell us a bit about your next novel, The 13th Sign? The premise sounds so exciting -- I can't wait to read it!
Thank you! I’m very excited about it. In The 13th Sign, birthday girl Jalen Jones (who has never felt like a true Sagittarian) accidentally unlocks a long-forgotten (and historically accurate!) 13th zodiac sign, Ophiuchus. Because of this, everyone on Earth shifts into a new sign of the zodiac and undergoes a massive personality shift.
A few weeks ago, an astronomer in Minnesota caused an uproar when he announced that he felt Ophiuchus should be included in the zodiac, because of the gradual tilting of our planet. You can read more about Ophiuchus and the “new” zodiac here. One thing that struck me, seeing how adamantly people on Twitter and Facebook rejected this theory: it’s amazing how connected we feel to our individual signs. I hope to capture that connectedness in The 13th Sign.
The 13th Sign will be available from Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan in Fall 2012. But you can take a sneak peek of it on my blog!
--------------
Thanks so much, Kristin, for such a great interview!
In honor of SELLING HOPE, Kristin is giving away a signed copy of her book, as well as some of Hope's Anti-Comet Pills. Simply fill out the form below to enter!
What sparked your inspiration to write a novel about Halley's Comet?
I like to think of Hope as a Happy Accident. Dalmatian Press had contracted me to write a workbook about space, “the universe in 64 pages,” as my editor said. I decided to include a section on comets. In researching Halley’s Comet, I discovered that in May of 1910, Earth had actually passed through the tail of the comet. Scientists realized months before that this phenomenon would occur, and newspapers worldwide printed the story. Fear of the unknown gripped the planet – will poisonous gasses fill the heavens and kill us all? People began prophesying the end of days. And where there is fear, there are people willing to cash in on it. Con artists sold everything from gas masks to lead umbrellas to trips to the moon! One particularly enterprising young man made and sold “comet pills.” I knew once I read those words – comet pills?! – it was a story I wanted to tell.
The 1910 setting you portray is so true to life and rich. I felt like I was actually there, experiencing Vaudeville and the fearful unknown of Halley's Comet. What kind of research did you do for SELLING HOPE?
Research is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. So many bizarre and breathtaking things happen every day, and the purpose of research is to uncover those gems and interpret them through the eyes of your main character. For SELLING HOPE I spent over a year researching Halley’s Comet, 1910 Chicago, and vaudeville. I love studying ads to see what things cost, what hairstyles and clothes were popular, what cars and kitchens looked like. And because I was researching vaudeville, I spent quite a chunk of time on YouTube looking at herky-jerky footage of ancient vaudeville skits – heaven!
Tell us about Buster Keaton. I must admit, I didn't know much about him until I read SELLING HOPE. I went online and watched a few of his comedy sketches, just so I could get to know this friend of Hope's. What made you want to include him in your novel?
The novel is set in 1910, and I wanted a male lead who was a popular vaudevillian at that time. Buster Keaton’s name popped up over and over again in my initial research, and because his legacy stretched into film, I was familiar with his work (I spent many a small-town Saturday night watching Buster Keaton movies in a church basement on a reel-to-reel projector. Man, that makes me sound ancient.)
Because I’d grown up being exposed to his work, I was comfortable trying to portray him in fiction. The more I researched him, I knew he was the perfect choice. He was an amazing talent, and his performance background was unbelievable – he started performing at age 3! He was handsome, too – check out his Wikipedia page here. I *then* found out that Buster’s fans – even today – are deeply devoted. There is an International Buster Keaton Society that holds annual conventions to study his performances. My hope is that I’ve portrayed him accurately enough to satisfy even his most devoted fans.
Throughout SELLING HOPE, Hope makes all kinds of zany one-liner jokes in her head. I found myself snorting out loud several times during each chapter. How did you come up with them?
Vaudeville was known for many things, but perhaps more than anything, for comedians and their one-liner jokes. These jokes were “swapped” (read: “stolen”) between performers on the circuits, so it was often hard to know who told the jokes originally. And the goal was to one-up the last comedian, so if a joke “killed” in Des Moines, it would often be stolen by another comedian by Chicago. I read several joke books while researching SELLING HOPE, including jokes that were attributed to legends Milton Berle and Ed Lowry. I flagged jokes that I thought might apply to Hope and her troupe, so many of the zingers that wound up in HOPE have been told for almost 100 years! Sometimes, though, the pacing of the story required a joke, but I couldn’t find one that would work. So, I wrote one. It’d be interesting to see if readers could see which jokes are mine and which ones originated many decades ago!
I loved that most of the book was set in Chicago. I lived there for several years and loved being able to picture the area as I read. Was there a particular reason you chose Chicago?
I love Chicago! My parents are from there, and I have gobs of family still in the area, so I visited there often growing up. I even lived in Chicago for two summers - never having to suffer a Chicago winter makes loving the city even easier! Because I was familiar with present-day Chicago, I was comfortable with being able to find the research to portray the city in 1910. Plus, it was a huge vaudeville hub. So it came together organically and through research. The Chicago History Museum has one of the best online research outlets I’ve ever found, and they were so helpful in finding those tidbits of information that make all the difference in plotting. (Like: what did it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in 1910 Chicago? You’ll have to read the book to find out.)
I loved each and every character in SELLING HOPE: Hope's quirky father, Cross-Eyed Jane, Buster (of course!), and even Mr. Whitting. Which character was your favorite to create and why?
Cross-Eyed Jane was and still is my favorite character in the book. She was the only character who popped into my head fully realized. The others (Hope, Nick, Whitting) all had secrets, things to hide. While that of course makes the writing fun and interesting and PURPOSEFUL, it also makes it challenging. Jane is supporting cast, through and through. I love her for it.
Can you tell us a bit about your next novel, The 13th Sign? The premise sounds so exciting -- I can't wait to read it!
Thank you! I’m very excited about it. In The 13th Sign, birthday girl Jalen Jones (who has never felt like a true Sagittarian) accidentally unlocks a long-forgotten (and historically accurate!) 13th zodiac sign, Ophiuchus. Because of this, everyone on Earth shifts into a new sign of the zodiac and undergoes a massive personality shift.
A few weeks ago, an astronomer in Minnesota caused an uproar when he announced that he felt Ophiuchus should be included in the zodiac, because of the gradual tilting of our planet. You can read more about Ophiuchus and the “new” zodiac here. One thing that struck me, seeing how adamantly people on Twitter and Facebook rejected this theory: it’s amazing how connected we feel to our individual signs. I hope to capture that connectedness in The 13th Sign.
The 13th Sign will be available from Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan in Fall 2012. But you can take a sneak peek of it on my blog!
--------------
Thanks so much, Kristin, for such a great interview!
In honor of SELLING HOPE, Kristin is giving away a signed copy of her book, as well as some of Hope's Anti-Comet Pills. Simply fill out the form below to enter!
January '11 Giveaway Winners Announced
The winners of the ACROSS THE UNIVERSE Swag Packs are: sross12, britneywyatt, and peep6000
The winner of a signed copy of TELL ME A SECRET is: iggly
The winner of the Manga Fan Prize Pack is: sierraphantom
Congrats, everyone! Be sure to enter our February Giveaways here!
The winner of a signed copy of TELL ME A SECRET is: iggly
The winner of the Manga Fan Prize Pack is: sierraphantom
Congrats, everyone! Be sure to enter our February Giveaways here!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Summer (Beautiful Dead)
It's been months since Darina's undead boyfriend Phoenix has visited her. Each time she waits, her heart breaks all over again. But in order to be with Phoenix, she has to solve the mystery behind another teen's murder. Was it random or an obsessed fan? She only has a small window of time to find out. But the closer she gets to solving the mystery, the closer she gets to losing Phoenix forever. Summer (Beautiful Dead) is the next story in the Beautiful Dead series.
Click here to read more
Click here to read more
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Review: Close to Famous
Do you have any idea about the power of a cupcake? Pineapple upside down cupcake? Triple chocolate cupcake? Chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting? They can change the world, or so thinks twelve-year-old Foster McFee, who wants her own cooking show on the Food Network. But first there are a few obstacles she must overcome.
In Close to Famous, Joan Bauer, YA author extraordinaire (in my opinion) take you on Foster's journey. She and her mother fled Memphis to escape her mother's abusive Elvis impersonator boyfriend. They settle in Culpepper, West Virginia, a small town with a big heart. It is there that Foster learns the power she has within her and also the power of the cupcake (which she knew all along).
Close to Famous has great characters, a fun story and a lot of hope. So bake your favorite cupcake, pour a glass of milk and read Close to Famous. Quite delicious!
In Close to Famous, Joan Bauer, YA author extraordinaire (in my opinion) take you on Foster's journey. She and her mother fled Memphis to escape her mother's abusive Elvis impersonator boyfriend. They settle in Culpepper, West Virginia, a small town with a big heart. It is there that Foster learns the power she has within her and also the power of the cupcake (which she knew all along).
Close to Famous has great characters, a fun story and a lot of hope. So bake your favorite cupcake, pour a glass of milk and read Close to Famous. Quite delicious!
Monday, February 07, 2011
Review: Small Persons With Wings
The upfront disclaimer should be that I love fairies. I read about them, write about them, hide statues of them in the garden for the children to find. I would draw them if I could draw my way out of a paper bag. I especially love them when they've been re-imagined, which I think gives them back some of the power and splendor that has been taken away by one too many flower-fairy reproductions.
So it's no surprise that I enjoyed reading Small Persons With Wings. Ellen Booream's fairies, oh excuse me, I mean Small Persons With Wings (they loathe being called fairies), might be small but they're regal, fierce and strong-willed -- and yet still, somehow, lovable.
Thirteen-year-old Mellie might not agree with the lovable bit. She likes to think about things logically. She likes information to be ordered, precise and factual. She does not like imaginative leaps of fancy, and she really does not like fairies. Which are not real. Not even Fidius, the fairy who lived with her for several years when she was much younger and who vanished before she could prove to her classmates that he was real (which he wasn’t, no sirree). Since then, her devotion to science, mathematics and the ephemera of art history has not won her any friends – and nor has it stopped anyone calling her “Fairy Fat.”
Then her parents inherit an inn from her grumpy, alcoholic grandfather and they move to a new town, something Mellie greets as a welcome chance to start over. Unfortunately, the inn is infested – not with mice, or rather, not only with mice, but with Small Persons with Wings. And they need Mellie's help.
Click here to read more!
So it's no surprise that I enjoyed reading Small Persons With Wings. Ellen Booream's fairies, oh excuse me, I mean Small Persons With Wings (they loathe being called fairies), might be small but they're regal, fierce and strong-willed -- and yet still, somehow, lovable.
Thirteen-year-old Mellie might not agree with the lovable bit. She likes to think about things logically. She likes information to be ordered, precise and factual. She does not like imaginative leaps of fancy, and she really does not like fairies. Which are not real. Not even Fidius, the fairy who lived with her for several years when she was much younger and who vanished before she could prove to her classmates that he was real (which he wasn’t, no sirree). Since then, her devotion to science, mathematics and the ephemera of art history has not won her any friends – and nor has it stopped anyone calling her “Fairy Fat.”
Then her parents inherit an inn from her grumpy, alcoholic grandfather and they move to a new town, something Mellie greets as a welcome chance to start over. Unfortunately, the inn is infested – not with mice, or rather, not only with mice, but with Small Persons with Wings. And they need Mellie's help.
Click here to read more!
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Bitter Melon
Frances' whole life has been mapped out for her. She needs to get good grades, go to Berkeley and become a doctor so she can help out her mother. Frances doesn't question her path until she ends up in a speech class and finds that she's a natural at debate and public speaking. She knows she should drop the class but finds she doesn't want to. She ends up hiding this from her mother who considers speech 'fluff'. Along the way Frances starts to question what she wants out of life even if that disrupts her mother's ambitions for her. Bitter Melon is an incredible tale that is sure to inspire readers.
Click here to read more
Click here to read more
Friday, February 04, 2011
Jill's Most Anticipated Books in 2011
A dear friend recently asked me about the books I'm looking forward to this year.
No, that's not what happened.
I was actually talking her EAR off about all the books I'm dying to read. DYING! I'm saving my pennies now and telling my local library to stock these debuts and sequels. I think there's something delicious about waiting for the next book in a series, although at times it can feel torturous. Until then, here's my list (in order of release date). I'm sure some of you know where I'm coming from!
First up is Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins. The sequel to Hex Hall comes out in March 2011. I need to know what happens to Sophie, Jenna and Archer....now now now!!!
Second we have City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. The 4th installment of The Mortal Instruments Series comes out in April 2011. Clary, Jace, Simon, Izzy, Alec, Magnus, Maia, Jace (did I mention Jace already?!)....need I say more? I have been craving this book since I finished City of Glass over a year ago.
Third we have Red Glove by Holly Black, releasing April 2011. I've been wanting to get my hands on the first book White Cat for months now, but my lack of income and my local library being out of it has kept me from it. But last week I found a copy and devoured it in one night. The ending left me almost in tears, knowing I had to wait a few more months for the sequel.
*shakes fist at Holly Black*
Well played, Holly. Well played indeed.
Fourth we have Hourglass by Myra McEntire, releasing in May. Now, I don't know Myra personally, but she is a friend of a friend, and I have “talked” to her on Twitter. She is flippin' hilarious. I am so excited for her, and I simply CANNOT wait to read her debut novel. It sounds amazing, and I have only heard fantastic things about it. Go, Myra, Go!!!
Fifth, (yes my friends, this is a long list...get comfortable) we have The Demon's Surrender by Sara Rees Brennan, releasing in June. The 3rd book to follow The Demon's Lexicon and The Demon's Covenant. I don't even know what to say, except I cannot wait to find out Nick's fate...
Just sayin'.
Sixth we have Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. The much anticipated sequel to Nightshade comes out in July 2011. I think it's a personal birthday present to me from Andrea Cremer. (Ha!) I loved Nightshade and cannot wait to read the sequel! July, hurry here!
Seventh we have Supernaturally, the sequel to Paranormalcy. I picked up Paranormalcy and literally could not put it down. I don't think anything short of a major catastrophe could have pried the book out of my hands. Evie is the most quick witted, hilarious, honest main character! I NEED to know what happens next. I'll have to wait until August!
Eight, and making the only second appearance on my list (author-wise) is Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Prince, releasing in September. I absolutely loved Clockwork Angel, and cannot wait to be in Will, Jem, and Tessa's world again!
Last is Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick. I happened to see Hush, Hush at the library last week and managed to snag the sequel Crescendo as well. I read them both in 3 days. Holy Toledo was I tired after staying up until 2 am for two nights in a row, but it was worth it! That is, until I finished Crescendo and realized the 3rd book (Silence) doesn't come out until October.
I cried. Literally cried. I cannot wait to know what happens to Nora and Patch!
And there you have it folks! There are other books I'm sure I will love this year, but these are my most anticipated. Which books are you DYING to get your hands on this year? Tell us in the comments!
No, that's not what happened.
I was actually talking her EAR off about all the books I'm dying to read. DYING! I'm saving my pennies now and telling my local library to stock these debuts and sequels. I think there's something delicious about waiting for the next book in a series, although at times it can feel torturous. Until then, here's my list (in order of release date). I'm sure some of you know where I'm coming from!
Second we have City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. The 4th installment of The Mortal Instruments Series comes out in April 2011. Clary, Jace, Simon, Izzy, Alec, Magnus, Maia, Jace (did I mention Jace already?!)....need I say more? I have been craving this book since I finished City of Glass over a year ago.
Third we have Red Glove by Holly Black, releasing April 2011. I've been wanting to get my hands on the first book White Cat for months now, but my lack of income and my local library being out of it has kept me from it. But last week I found a copy and devoured it in one night. The ending left me almost in tears, knowing I had to wait a few more months for the sequel.
*shakes fist at Holly Black*
Well played, Holly. Well played indeed.
Fourth we have Hourglass by Myra McEntire, releasing in May. Now, I don't know Myra personally, but she is a friend of a friend, and I have “talked” to her on Twitter. She is flippin' hilarious. I am so excited for her, and I simply CANNOT wait to read her debut novel. It sounds amazing, and I have only heard fantastic things about it. Go, Myra, Go!!!
Fifth, (yes my friends, this is a long list...get comfortable) we have The Demon's Surrender by Sara Rees Brennan, releasing in June. The 3rd book to follow The Demon's Lexicon and The Demon's Covenant. I don't even know what to say, except I cannot wait to find out Nick's fate...
Just sayin'.
Sixth we have Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. The much anticipated sequel to Nightshade comes out in July 2011. I think it's a personal birthday present to me from Andrea Cremer. (Ha!) I loved Nightshade and cannot wait to read the sequel! July, hurry here!
Seventh we have Supernaturally, the sequel to Paranormalcy. I picked up Paranormalcy and literally could not put it down. I don't think anything short of a major catastrophe could have pried the book out of my hands. Evie is the most quick witted, hilarious, honest main character! I NEED to know what happens next. I'll have to wait until August!
Eight, and making the only second appearance on my list (author-wise) is Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Prince, releasing in September. I absolutely loved Clockwork Angel, and cannot wait to be in Will, Jem, and Tessa's world again!
Last is Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick. I happened to see Hush, Hush at the library last week and managed to snag the sequel Crescendo as well. I read them both in 3 days. Holy Toledo was I tired after staying up until 2 am for two nights in a row, but it was worth it! That is, until I finished Crescendo and realized the 3rd book (Silence) doesn't come out until October.
I cried. Literally cried. I cannot wait to know what happens to Nora and Patch!
And there you have it folks! There are other books I'm sure I will love this year, but these are my most anticipated. Which books are you DYING to get your hands on this year? Tell us in the comments!
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Review: Across The Universe
Terror in outer space. Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the spaceship Godspeed. She's supposed to wake up on the planet Centauri-Earth, 300 years in the future. But something goes terribly wrong. She's woken too early by someone she thinks tried to kill her.
Once awake she finds herself in a world that's ruled by Eldest, a tyrannical leader. No one disobeys him. Not even Elder, the next in command. Elder is fascinated by Amy and wants to know more about the Earth she left behind. Then another cryo chamber is opened, killing that passenger. Amy is determined to find out who's behind this as she fears her own parents will be next. Across The Universe is a thriller Sci-Fi novel that will keep you glued as the story unfolds.
Click here to read more of my review...
Once awake she finds herself in a world that's ruled by Eldest, a tyrannical leader. No one disobeys him. Not even Elder, the next in command. Elder is fascinated by Amy and wants to know more about the Earth she left behind. Then another cryo chamber is opened, killing that passenger. Amy is determined to find out who's behind this as she fears her own parents will be next. Across The Universe is a thriller Sci-Fi novel that will keep you glued as the story unfolds.
Click here to read more of my review...
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Okay the fan girl in me has to get this out, can I please have Patch as my guardian angel?! please!!! Okay, got that off my chest, on to my review. I really enjoyed this book. I devoured 'Hush, Hush' in 2 days and this one as well. I could not put it down! To read more of my review, click here.
Interview with James Dashner!
YABC recently got the chance to interview James Dashner, author of THE MAZE RUNNER series. Check out his answers to our questions below!
MG: Hello, James! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions for our readers at Young Adult Books Central!
First, tell us what sparked your inspiration for The Maze Runner series.
James: I think three things fed into my inspiration for these books: Ender's Game, Lord of the Flies, and the TV show Lost.
MG: Was your writing process for the sequel, The Scorch Trials, different than that of The Maze Runner?
James: Sequels are always very different. You are limited by the rules and everything else you've set up in the first book, so you have to be very careful. Even little things like mannerisms of characters can get you. Another hard thing: when you wrote that first book, you did everything in your power to make it great. And suddenly, you have to top that. You always have to top what's come before.
MG: What made you decide to write for young adults?
James: That's basically when I fell in love with reading, and it's fun to go back to it.
MG: What are some of your favorite sci-fi/dystopian novels, films, and television series?
James: I love The Giver, the old Road Warrior movies, 1984, and The Matrix trilogy, to name a few.
MG: Which books or authors have inspired your craft?
James: I'd say Stephen King and Dean Koontz more than anyone else.
MG: What is your must-have writing snack/beverage?
James: Nuts. Any kind of nuts.
MG: What book would we find on your bedside table right now?
James: I'm reading Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
MG: How is your final book in The Maze Runner trilogy, The Death Cure, coming along?
James: Very well. We're deep into revisions, so it's well on track to come out this fall.
MG: Can you tell us anything about the upcoming The Maze Runner film? Will you be involved in the production in any way?
James: I honestly know almost nothing, and it's not even really official yet. But there are numerous sites out there that report they have a director and a screenwriter committed to the film, at 20th Century Fox. Fingers crossed!
MG: What's next for James Dashner after The Maze Runner trilogy?
James: I have some exciting things coming down the pipeline, but, of course, I can't talk about them yet! There should be announcements soon....
MG: And last but not least, since becoming a published author, what has been your biggest SQUEE! moment?
James: My biggest moment was definitely the first time we hit the NY Times Bestseller list. There's just something so symbolic about that, and it was the fulfillment of years and years of work. I cried. Yes, I cried. And so did my wife and my mom! :)
Thanks so much, James! We're really looking forward to The Death Cure!
And if you haven't read The Maze Runner or The Scorch Trials, check out the book trailers below:
MG: Hello, James! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions for our readers at Young Adult Books Central!
First, tell us what sparked your inspiration for The Maze Runner series.
James: I think three things fed into my inspiration for these books: Ender's Game, Lord of the Flies, and the TV show Lost.
MG: Was your writing process for the sequel, The Scorch Trials, different than that of The Maze Runner?
James: Sequels are always very different. You are limited by the rules and everything else you've set up in the first book, so you have to be very careful. Even little things like mannerisms of characters can get you. Another hard thing: when you wrote that first book, you did everything in your power to make it great. And suddenly, you have to top that. You always have to top what's come before.
MG: What made you decide to write for young adults?
James: That's basically when I fell in love with reading, and it's fun to go back to it.
MG: What are some of your favorite sci-fi/dystopian novels, films, and television series?
James: I love The Giver, the old Road Warrior movies, 1984, and The Matrix trilogy, to name a few.
MG: Which books or authors have inspired your craft?
James: I'd say Stephen King and Dean Koontz more than anyone else.
MG: What is your must-have writing snack/beverage?
James: Nuts. Any kind of nuts.
MG: What book would we find on your bedside table right now?
James: I'm reading Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
MG: How is your final book in The Maze Runner trilogy, The Death Cure, coming along?
James: Very well. We're deep into revisions, so it's well on track to come out this fall.
MG: Can you tell us anything about the upcoming The Maze Runner film? Will you be involved in the production in any way?
James: I honestly know almost nothing, and it's not even really official yet. But there are numerous sites out there that report they have a director and a screenwriter committed to the film, at 20th Century Fox. Fingers crossed!
MG: What's next for James Dashner after The Maze Runner trilogy?
James: I have some exciting things coming down the pipeline, but, of course, I can't talk about them yet! There should be announcements soon....
MG: And last but not least, since becoming a published author, what has been your biggest SQUEE! moment?
James: My biggest moment was definitely the first time we hit the NY Times Bestseller list. There's just something so symbolic about that, and it was the fulfillment of years and years of work. I cried. Yes, I cried. And so did my wife and my mom! :)
Thanks so much, James! We're really looking forward to The Death Cure!
And if you haven't read The Maze Runner or The Scorch Trials, check out the book trailers below:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)