Just Another...Book Crush (#19): The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler (Guest Post & Giveaway!)

Just Another...Book Crush! is a monthly feature where I invite an author whose book I've recently reviewed and loved to write a guest post and share their three latest book crushes. It's a feature I'm starting mostly because I'm often very shy to approach authors, especially ones I admire, and also because I love reading guest posts since, more often than not, they convince me to pick up a book even when the reviewer cannot. 

I am over the moon to be welcoming Sarah Ockler to the blog today. I've been in contact with Sarah for awhile--almost ever since I read The Summer of Chasing Mermaids in late January--and have been dreaming about having her write a post for this meme. And, it finally happened! The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is one of the most powerful, diverse, sex-positive, and romantic novels I've read--ever--and it's so, so important to me. If you haven't already picked it up, just do it.

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.
Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.
Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life. 
When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them...

Denial of Voice: The Sound of Silence

When I’m inspired to write a novel, it’s usually because something happening in my own life or in the lives of people close to me makes such a powerful, emotional impact that I’ve got no choice but to write about it. Through my characters and their story, I can explore the themes I’m interested in and—most importantly—give my characters the hopeful ending they deserve, despite the many obstacles they’ll face along the way.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the power to grant those same hopeful endings to the people I care about in real life, especially the teen girls who read my novels. I can only hope to let them know, through my characters and their challenges, that they are not alone.

Through Elyse’s story in The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, I wanted to explore denial of voice, something I see so many young people—particularly girls and women—struggling with. Elyse is a former singer from Tobago whose lifelong dreams were dashed a few months earlier when a boating accident left her with irreversible vocal loss. Now mute, she’s spending her summer with a family friend in Oregon, feeling stuck and uncertain about how to move forward. Without her voice, she doesn’t even know who she is anymore.

Through Elyse, I was able to write about broader silencing and denial of voice issues symbolized by a character who literally has no physical voice and has to learn new ways of expressing herself, embracing her new life, and standing up for herself when others either speak for her or shut her out.

Sometimes the suppression of a person’s voice is brutal and obvious—being told to shut up, or being threatened with violence for speaking out, or even being killed for doing so. But often denial of voice is much more insidious and even difficult to recognize. It’s made possible by subtle and oft-repeated messages telling us that certain people are not worthy of having or sharing a voice. These messages become so deeply ingrained in our culture, our social norms, or very beings, that not only do we learn to believe them, but we learn to keep contributing to and perpetuating them.

Sorry Not Sorry

From a young age, girls are taught—explicitly or implicitly—to be nice, accommodating, and selfless. To this end, we’re conditioned to automatically apologize for anything that may contradict someone else’s idea of what being nice, accommodating, or selfless means.

We learn to apologize for asking questions, as though our curiosity or need for clarification is disruptive or offensive. We learn to apologize for taking up space, or for asking someone to move out of the way so that we can get by, as though our physical presence is a crime. We learn to apologize for stating our needs, and for expecting to have those needs met, because sometimes meeting our own needs means someone else doesn’t get what he or she wants, and that’s not very accommodating. Sometimes the “Sorry!” response is so automatic, we don’t even realize we’re doing it.

Sound crazy? Ask yourself: in a given day or week, how many times do you apologize for something for which you’re not (or shouldn’t be) truly sorry? For something that doesn’t even require an apology? For saying no to a request or demand with which you can’t or don’t want to comply? For not understanding something and needing more information?

Every time we apologize for something like this—or expect others to do so—we’re silencing. We’re saying that our voices, opinions, and needs don’t matter. We’re perpetuating the belief that it’s more important to make the people around us feel comfortable than it is to take care of or speak up for ourselves.

Just Be Yourself!* (*Instructions Not Included)

Relatedly, girls are often told to “be ourselves,” and that we can do anything we put our minds to. It sounds lovely, but we’re not given a lot of direction on what that really means, or how to deal with the challenges that inevitably arise when we truly, authentically put ourselves out there. What happens when being ourselves conflicts with being nice, accommodating, and selfless?

We have to accept the fact that not everyone will welcome our authentic selves—even (and sometimes especially) the people who claim to love us most. And so often I see—in my own life as well as in the lives of girls and women around me—denial of voice in action, where we’re shut down and shut up simply because we don’t fit into whatever box society has built for us. We’re confronted by things like sexism, gender roles and expectations, privilege, double standards, lack of opportunity, aggression, poverty, racism, fear, power dynamics, institutionalized misogyny… just to name a few, and then told to just “be ourselves” or “we can do anything we put our minds to” as if these obstacles don’t exist.

So how do we overcome our internalized and externalized silencing and related fears, and help other girls and women do the same? 

By Being A Voice Advocate

I don’t write my books with the intention of sending messages, but I always hope that readers walk away from my stories feeling less alone, or thinking about something in a new way, or maybe even considering an issue or situation they’ve never given much thought before.

With The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, my hope is that readers might be inspired to find ways to connect with and express their own true voices, and also to consider how we might encourage and support other girls and women in doing the same.

Each of us has the power to be an advocate for voice. If you don’t have a supportive, encouraging person in your life, you can be your own advocate! It doesn’t mean that you won’t face challenges and obstacles—perhaps even dangerous ones. You won’t always have the safe space in which to express yourself. But you can start with knowing your own personal truth, and trusting the voice inside you. Once you do that, you can practice expressing yourself in small ways. For example, if you find yourself constantly apologizing, practice withholding that “I’m sorry” for situations where you truly need to apologize for a wrongdoing. If you have trouble saying no, or you’re constantly putting energy into others while neglecting yourself, practice caring for yourself. Practice saying no, or even offering a compromise. Self-love is not selfish!

Being a voice advocate also means thinking about ways in which we might be unintentionally silencing someone through our own words or behaviors. Are we criticizing instead of encouraging? Do we scoff or easily dismiss someone because we don’t agree with her views, or because we think her ideas are stupid? Do we assume that someone younger than us can’t possibly understand, or that her experiences and feelings are invalid or immature? Similarly, do we assume someone older is out of touch? Do we ignore the voices of those who are different from us in any way because we assume we have nothing to learn from them? These are important questions to ask ourselves if we truly believe in freedom of expression and truly want to foster an environment in which all girls and women can safely express their authentic voices.

If you’re comfortable with self-expression, you can advocate for someone who isn’t. Help that person by being a good listener, by giving them safe space in which to explore their own inner voice and practice expressing it. Sometimes, all it takes is one supportive person or one moment of encouragement to truly change someone’s life. Let the girls and women in your life know that you want to hear what they have to say—that they are important and worthy, and that their voice matters.

And most importantly, know that your voice matters, too. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself. And that inner light will shine out of you and illuminate everything you do. 

Just Another...Book Crush! 

1. The Diary of Anais Nin by Anais Nin. This is a regular re-read for me, though I haven't yet made my way through all the volumes yet. I just love opening the book and slipping into her vibrant world, getting lost in and inspired by her beautiful writing.

2. He's Gone by Deb Caletti. I adore Deb's YA books, and this one--her first novel for adults--is just as lovely. Deb has a way of capturing everyday moments, heartaches, and joys so simply and perfectly; reading her books is like hanging out with a dear old friend.

3. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard H. Wilkinson. I'm obsessed with Ancient Egypt, and I can't help but be carried away to another time and place when I flip through this one. It's truly awe-inspiring!

Giveaway!

Sarah was so, so sweet and offered to host a giveaway for one lucky winner to win a signed copy of The Summer of Chasing Mermaids. This giveaway is US ONLY, but I'll be hosting more international giveaways extremely soon, no worries! All my usual rules and regulations apply and keep in mind that the giveaway ends September 30th. Good Luck!

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What did you think of Sarah's guest post? Have you read any of her Book Crushes? Let me know in the comments below and if you haven't read my (gushing!) review of The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, you can do so right here. :)

Ivy Book Bindings Turns 3!

I can't believe it but it's that time of year again: blogoversary time! 

I started this blog when I was in high school and I'm about to enter my sophomore year of college now, so the full impact of these three years is really hitting me all at once. But, I think this past year of blogging has been, perhaps, one of my "worst" years. Not in terms of content--because I feel as if I've now become comfortable in my skin, both who I am as a person and who I am as a reader--and I also truly believe that the values I look for in novels have become clearer and clearer in the types of books I choose to read and review and the manner in which I do so. I've also become less "anal" about blogging, choosing to post when I can and also choosing to review select books I truly feel passionately about. I've also had so many incredible experiences this past year, even blogging-related like meeting my all-time favorite author, Kristin Cashore, who is fittingly the first (and so far only) author I've managed to meet. Yet, compared to my first two years of blogging, I haven't been as present in the blogosphere--I actually manage to be surprised by a new book release--and, furthermore, I don't feel as if I'm as close to a lot of my blogging buddies as I once was. In large part, that has to do with me. And that's fine. I'm a college student and it's a good thing that my priorities are face-to-face relationships and my education but it also makes me look back on the days I'd send long e-mails about novels to friends or receive packages in the mail from across the sea. If I'll ever have the time to return to that level of dedication I don't know--although I do hope to do so--and while this past year has been a bit of a transition year for me, what with--you know--college, I'm hoping my fourth year of blogging will be one in which I am better able to balance blogging, bookish friendships, and life. For me, the problem has never been about making the time to read--because that's a passion that will never change--but rather about making the time to blog.

Anyhow, now that that long sentimental rant is over and done with, let's get to the exciting part: the giveaway! I haven't had a chance to do a giveaway on the blog for a loooong time so if you win this one, you can pick any book you want and I'll either order it and have it shipped to you or pre-order it for you if it hasn't already released.

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I may not have explicitly taken the time to detail out all the thank-yous I owe to people in this past year but I cannot thank you all enough. For all the readers who stop to write me comments, for all the bloggers who have kept in touch and continue to leave me the nicest of notes, for all the newcomers who have discovered my blog and enjoyed its content, and especially for those of you who I never interact with but who subscribe and read and like my posts: thank you. If it wasn't for such an amazing readership, I wouldn't have the level of motivation I do to continue to post. I truly adore this community and am so grateful, not only to have been welcomed with open arms, but to have been a part of it for three years! So thank you--each and every one of you. You cannot know how much this has meant--and will continue to mean.

Blog Tour: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (Guest Post & Giveaway)

I am so excited to be part of The Midnight Garden's Blog Tour of This Shattered World today! I loved These Broken Stars when I read it last year and I can vouch for the fact that this companion novel is just as brilliant and romantic as its predecessor. If you're even the tiniest fan of science fiction, you'll want to pick up this series for sure!  

Today I'll be welcoming the authors of This Shattered World, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner to talk about the world-building in their science fiction realms. If you're a frequent reader of the blog then you'll know that I love nothing more than a well-developed world, especially one grounded in reality, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading what Amie and Meagan had to say about their world-building. I think you will too. :)

Secrets of Starbound Unlocked: Science and Settings

The Starbound trilogy might be set in the future, but it’s grounded solidly in today’s science. We check our science is correct by consulting with physicists, doctors, botanists and others, or we check our science is plausible, if we’re getting creative. Some things (like hyperspace travel) we can’t do yet, but we try to make sure that nothing is scientifically impossible based on what we know right now.

Back when we were drafting These Broken Stars, our editor asked us to put together what we now call the Starbound Encyclopedia. It’s nearly ten thousand words of vital information about the characters and worlds you’ll encounter as you read these books. Here are a few excerpts that will tell you a little bit more about what you’re going to find on Avon in This Shattered World!

Terraforming: A Brief History

Mankind’s first experiments in terraforming took place on Mars in the mid-21st century, but the process did not become viable until after the discovery of faster-than-light travel almost a hundred years later. With the advent of interstellar exploration, the transportation of materials to Mars for terraforming became much cheaper and quicker, and the Mars Company took over from the government-funded scientists. By the time Mars was (barely) habitable, mankind had discovered dozens of other candidates for terraforming outside of our solar system, and had begun to apply the same process to them. These days, Earth is little more than a vast museum of mankind’s history, with environmental stabilizers to prevent complete ecological collapse. Thus far there have been no signs of life elsewhere in the galaxy, intelligent or otherwise… as far as the public record shows.

Avon: Planetary Purgatory

Avon is a recently terraformed planet, unable to sustain human life without the aid of respirators until only a generation ago. It’s co-owned by NovaCorp and Terra Dynamics. It should be much further along in the process than it is, but for generations the planet has been “stuck” at a particular stage in its development. Much of the planet is infertile swamp land, and the plant life is limited to algae and reeds. Its skies are constantly obscured due to a thick, constant cloud cover shrouding almost the entire planet.

The Fianna

Ten years before the start of This Shattered World, some of the descendants of Avon’s original colonists rose up in rebellion against Terra Dynamics and NovaCorp. Calling themselves the Fianna (Irish for warriors), they were led by a young woman named Orla Cormac. They demanded to know why Avon’s terraforming hadn’t progressed—until the planet becomes self-sufficient, Avon’s colonists are not considered citizens, and have no representation in the Galactic Council. The rebellion was unsuccessful, and Orla was executed for her crimes. The military has had fully-operational bases there ever since, acting as the planet’s police and security force until it becomes self-sufficient enough to have its own local governmental forces. Now, Orla’s little brother, Flynn Cormac, has inherited the rebellion. Unlike his sister, Flynn longs for peace, and hasn’t given up on the idea that there’s a way out for his people that doesn’t involve bloodshed.

Avon: The Fury

Though the locals are unaffected, soldiers posted on Avon succumb to a creeping madness called the Fury, which begins with disturbing dreams and escalates into an outburst of (usually fatal) violence. Most soldiers last only a few months before being reassigned to other planets. Despite numerous studies of the environment by doctors and scientists, no one has been able to determine a cause for this affliction. The only cure, once symptoms begin, is to be transferred off of Avon.

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner are longtime friends and sometime flatmates who have traveled the world (but not yet the galaxy), covering every continent between them. They are sure outer space is only a matter of time. Meagan, who is also the author of the Skylark trilogy, currently lives in Asheville, NC, while Amie lives in Melbourne, Australia. Although they currently live apart, they are united by their love of space opera, road trips, and second breakfasts.

Tour Schedule:
Monday, December 8          The Midnight Garden    Secrets of Starbound: Characters
Tuesday, December 9         The Book Smugglers    Making an Audiobook
Wednesday, December 10  Ivy Book Bindings        Secrets of Starbound: Science and Settings
Thursday, December 11       Cuddlebuggery             How Amie & Meagan Met
Friday, December 12            Little Book Owl             Video Interview
Monday, December 15         Mundie Moms               Shooting the Cover
Tuesday, December 16        Xpresso Reads             Starbound Inspirations
Wednesday, December 17   A Book Utopia               Video: Your New Book Boyfriend
Thursday, December 18       Supernatural Snark       Q & A

Friday, December 19            Love is Not a Triangle   Gender in Science Fiction

Giveaway!

We have some incredibly cool giveaways thanks to the authors and Disney-Hyperion. Not only do we have 5 hardback copies of This Shattered World to give away, but we also have a grand prize that’ll make fans of the series super, super excited!

Grand Prize:

Autographed copies of These Broken Stars and This Shattered World

Starbound Swag

A secret letter from Tarver to Lilac, which you may keep secret for yourself, or may be posted and shared with others

Your choice of coffee with the authors at one of their upcoming U.S. tour stops (locations TBD) OR a Skype chat!

All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form and leave a thoughtful comment below telling us why you’re specifically excited to win this prize! Don’t forget, you may earn additional points by sharing this giveaway on social media and by visiting the other tour stops as well.

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A huuuge shout out to Wendy @ The Midnight Garden for organizing this blog tour and for selecting me to be a part of it. I had a blast, Wendy, so thanks a bunch! If you haven't already, be sure to check them out! :)

Also, be sure to look out for my review of This Shattered World soon to find out more about these characters, their journey, and, most importantly, their love story!

Just Another...Book Crush (#16): Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley (Interview & Giveaway!)

Just Another...Book Crush! is a monthly feature where I invite an author whose book I've recently reviewed and loved to write a guest post and share their three latest book crushes. It's a feature I'm starting mostly because I'm often very shy to approach authors, especially ones I admire, and also because I love reading guest posts since, more often than not, they convince me to pick up a book even when the reviewer cannot. 

I'M ALIVE! I moved into college on Monday and ever since I've been busy, busy, busy. You'd think I'd have a bit of time to just breathe and figure out all this college stuff, but NO. I've been thrown into Orientation and running around campus, finding buildings, and in general plastering a smile on my face in case I run into my future Best Friend For Life has been exhausting. So forgive my minimal online presence and, instead, welcome Joy N. Hensley to the blog! I looooved Joy's debut novel, Rites of Passage which I'll hopefully be reviewing soon (hopefully!). When I approached her to write a guest post for the blog she mentioned that she'd prefer an interview instead so, forgive my lack of creative questions, but I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did. 

Also, Joy was sweet enough to send me amazing swag for her upcoming novel along with extras which I will be giving away below. Since it's my birthday today I suppose you can treat this as a bit of a birthday giveaway! ;)

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died. So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him. As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.At any cost. Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

1. First and foremost, thank you for agreeing to participate, Joy! I'm so glad you were able to make it onto the blog today. I knew next-to-nothing about you prior to your debut but after reading Rites of Passage I found out that you yourself had been to military school before. It is evident throughout your novel as the story and experiences feel so authentic. Were any of the scenes from Rites of Passage similar to your own life? Could you explain the process of fictionalizing a real experience and molding facts from your life into this tale? 

Thanks for having me, Keertana! I looked over your questions and realized I was going to have to take a little bit of time to think about them and actually craft some answers. It was actually a learning experience for me. I had to think past the basics of Rites of Passage and dig for the answers. I did go to military school, on a dare, in fact. There are a lot of scenes in Rites of Passage that could every easily have taken place. Near the beginning there's a day-long event called Dedication Day where the recruits have to show what they've learned in their "boot camp" week. I took a lot of that from the school I went to. I'm sure other military schools do something similar, but I'm not sure when in the training it happens. There's another scene in the book later on where the drill sergeant is doing some physical training with the recruits in the hallway. He turns the lights out and plays a song--the song I chose for that scene was very specific and that type of training was done by my cadre.

It's important to note, as you did in your question, though, that this book is definitely fiction. I survived my military school dare, however I didn't thrive. Basically, when I started to write Rites of Passage, I wanted to tell the story of how I *wish* I had done, and Sam is the character that embodies that. Were there nice upperclassmen? Yes. Attractive ones? Definitely. There were also cadets who didn't live up to the uniform and ones who still (after forty years of being co-ed) believed that females didn't belong on campus. Were there secret societies at my school? I don't know. There were whispers of them, as there are at many old, traditional universities. Would I call them out? Heck no! :-) But all of these facets went into creating this book, Denmark Military Academy, and the cadets who inhabit the novel. Is any one character true to life? I don't think so, not 100%, probably not even 50%. But, as with any book written by any writer, there were people that I drew on for inspiration and character building.

2. What stood out to me the most about Rites of Passage was the overwhelming feminist manifesto throughout. Sam, as a woman, is discriminated against for attempting to enter a predominantly male society and career. Was it your intent to write Rites of Passage with such a strong feminist focus or did you rely on experiences of female soldiers who have also undergone similar forms of discrimination in their field? More importantly, do you feel as if Sam's determination to push through the dire circumstances she finds herself in is due to her own sheer will or was it an intentional shout-out to women's rights? 

Wow, you're using some strong language in this question! I'm not sure I'd say feminist manifesto so much as feminist undertones , maybe? My intent was just to write a kick-ass female character, you know?

I didn't want Sam to have to depend on boys to get her through. I wanted to write a character who was okay with herself, who didn't need a boyfriend to feel important. I wanted to show how friendships in teen years are so much more important that relationships and how it's okay to not be dating all the time. Life can take us so many different places and while I love a good romance just as much as the next girl, it's important to see that we can love ourselves and be okay with ourselves. 

It's nice to be loved and held and kissed and swept off my feet, but I want someone who believes in me, too. Someone who understands that I need to accomplish things on my own and I don't necessarily need to be rescued.  As a teacher, I see so many girls who think they aren't worth anything because they don't have boyfriends. 

But that's not what life is, you know? 

Life is about finding out who you are and who you want to become. If it takes putting relationships on the back burner for awhile, that's okay.  Every single girl deserves to know that she is capable of whatever she dreams. She might need help, she might need friends along the way, but she can do anything!

3. Over the course of Rites of Passage Sam grows and changes, both mentally and physically as she finds herself training both harder and longer. Could you explain the process of creating Sam's growth arc--as it pertained to her military household, her blooming romance, and the brutal hazing she suffers? 

Sam's a pretty strong main character with pretty strong convictions about the way life should be. Throughout the book, I needed to make sure she questioned what she believed in. It's not enough to say "This is what I believe." You have to be able to answer the inevitable "Why?" that comes next. So for a character like Sam, I had to shake her to her core, which meant putting her through some pretty horrible things regarding her family and the hazing. She had to realize on her own that not everything is black and white, good and bad. There are gray areas to everything, but it's where you stand in the gray that makes you who you are. At the end of the novel, I hope it's clear that Sam understands the why--not only of her beliefs--but of the other characters' beliefs as well. 

4.  Lastly, I cannot help but ask: is there any possibility of a companion novel or sequel? What else can you tell us about your current projects? 

Right now Rites is a stand alone, but that doesn't mean there won't ever be a sequel or companion novel. How's that for a non-answer? :-)  Right now I'm working on my second book for Harper Teen called The Harder You Fall. I can't say much yet, but it takes place in the world of mixed martial arts.  

Thanks again for having me and for the great questions! Did I pass the test? :-) I hope everyone enjoys Rites of Passage.

Thank you so much, Joy! I don't doubt for a second that everyone is truly going to enjoy Rites of Passage--seriously, what a treat! :)

Giveaway! 

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Two Year Blogoversary Giveaways! :D

I graduated yesterday and the entire experience is so incredibly surreal. Four years flew by in a heartbeat and these past two have gone by even quicker. Did I even have a life before blogging? It's difficult to imagine one now. I know I've been slower to post off late, in the midst of my busy schedule, and the truth is that this year--starting college--I'll be lucky to find the time to post at all. I'm working on that, though. Quality over quantity, my friends, and I hope to have some significantly better quality reviews up and running soon this summer! 

Either way, I just want to give a big shout out thanks to all of you! I feel like the first blogoversary is so monumental; you made it! You blogged for an entire year and made friends and received ARCs and ahhh, you're sooo cool! Now, the second time around, it feels more like coming home every time I log on to Blogger. It feels like breathing to comment on blogs and engage in long book discussions. It feels only natural to have the last thing you see at night be a pile of ARCs that need to be read and reviewed and have the first thing you see in the morning be a pile of more books to be read and reviewed. It's hard every year because of the challenges of life that somehow interrupt blogging, but reading? Reading is our lives. 

Anyhow, I just want to thank each and every one of you for reading my blog, commenting, tweeting me, interacting with me in any way, and for writing gorgeous reviews that make my TBR grow. At this current stage in my life, I really am not sure what I'll finally major in once I attend college or where I'll find an internship (if I do!) or if I'll even find a job I like. I don't know who my teachers or classmates are going to be and in the midst of so much uncertainty, it's a relief to always have this; not just the blog, but the people. I may be traveling six hours away from home, shivering in the cold confines of Boston, but I'll always have this community to keep me grounded, so thank you. Seriously. Year One may have gone to me and a few select bloggers who truly made my experience online special, but Year Two goes to all of you. 

And, of course, my best blogging (and reading!) buddies--you know who you are! ;)

Giveaways!

I'm running two giveaways for my two-year blogoversary; one for US Citizens and one for International Citizens. Of course, if you live in the US you can enter both giveaways, which is a perk. (BTW--both giveaways end at the end of the month, so a little more than a week to get in as many entries as possible!)

Giveaway #1

I will be selecting three US winners, each of whom will receive one of the following bundles:

Stephanie Kuehn Bundle

Hardcovers of Complicit (out June 24th!) and Charm & Strange

ARC Bundle

Chantress Alchemy (Chantress, #2) by Amy Butler Greenfield, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, Torn by David Massey, and Fractured (Guards of the Shadowlands, #2) by Sarah Fine

Hardcover Bundle

Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz, Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices, #2) by Cassandra Clare, and Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

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Giveaway #2

(International)

Your choice of any of the following Summer 2014 titles:

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Just Another Book Crush (#13): Plus One by Elizabeth Fama (Blog Tour, Guest Post, and Giveaway!)

I am so excited to be part of Elizabeth's Plus One Blog Tour! If you haven't already read my review of Fama's sophomore novel, you should definitely check it out HERE - Elizabeth references it in today's post. Without further ado, let's invite Elizabeth over to the blog already, shall we? ;)

Just Another...Book Crush! is a monthly feature where I invite an author whose book I've recently reviewed and loved to write a guest post and share their three latest book crushes. It's a feature I'm starting mostly because I'm often very shy to approach authors, especially ones I admire, and also because I love reading guest posts since, more often than not, they convince me to pick up a book even when the reviewer cannot. 

Title: Plus One 

Author: Elizabeth Fama

Find It: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads

Divided by day and night and on the run from authorities, star-crossed young lovers unearth a sinister conspiracy in this compelling romantic thriller. Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece—a day dweller, or Ray—she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray. Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights, and a fast-paced romantic adventure story.

I try not to obsessively read early Goodreads reviews when my advance reader copies are released. I try hard, but I often fail. It was particularly difficult this time around, because so few people seemed to be reading their ARCs of Plus One. (I blame the "Southwest Airlines safety pamphlet" ARC cover.)

That's when I saw Keertana's review. Poor Keertana! I craved opinions about this book so much that I threw Internet etiquette out the window and contacted her for a literary conversation. Thank goodness she didn't slap a restraining order on me.

I learn so much from readers' reviews. Often when a reader stumbles it means I didn't do my job. In this case, Keertana had problems with the romance, love, and sex, and I wanted to understand why. In short, she found 1. the main characters' relationship jumps too quickly from like to love after a particular revelation, 2. the two characters are rushed into protestations of love because their time together is limited, and 3. the sex feels rushed and less meaningful than it should, for the same reason ("bucket-list sex").

If Keertana didn't sense the characters' affection growing over the course of their adventure (problem #1), then I definitely needed to pause and study what I had done. Yes, there's the particular plot point that grounds some of their feelings, but she's right that by itself it's not enough, and there are at least supposed to be hints at burgeoning respect and compatibility before that point is revealed to them. Sol and D'Arcy start out as opposites, and at odds, but their characters are meant to be fundamentally similar where it counts: they're fiercely loyal and family-oriented, strong, smart, and decent. I wanted to show that slowly, privately, they begin to admire particular qualities in the other person. Keertana's struggle here made me realize that the tiny meaningful moments I thought I had embedded in the narrative along the way may have been too tiny. [See footnote 1 at the end of the post for examples--but they're spoilery.]  Each moment is small enough that perhaps even taken together they're "not enough." It gives me so much to think about, as a writer.

As for Keertana's problems #2 and #3, I was actually happy to see that she experienced discomfort with the pace of their relationship. Their relationship is rushed, and she's right: it's precisely because of the predicament they find themselves in, and it was not only deliberate on my part, but crucial to the theme of lost freedom that I was exploring. Because of an arbitrary, unjust government policy, their time together is precarious. Sol distinctly feels that it's running out, and she's taking the one and only opportunity she has to be with this person she cares so deeply about. There is a blend of healthy agency (she wants him, she initiates sex) and forced urgency (it must happen now). How might their relationship have progressed if they the politics of their world had been different? [See footnote 2 for spoilery speculation.] 

But why include the love and sex at all, if Plus One is about personal freedom? Or as Keertana said, "I am all for sex in YA but the short sex scene in Plus One didn't serve a purpose." I wanted readers to become invested in the romance so that they would internalize the political and social issues that made that love impossible. I wanted the reader to think about was how unfair that was--how the Day/Night divide has this ripple effect that takes away even the smallest rights from a person: the right to choose to be with the person you love, and at what pace to take your first sexual relationship, which I think are issues teens are highly attuned to (more than, say, which career paths are open to you, which is also an issue in the book).

Just Another...Book Crush! 

Here are three books that have filled my head recently:

1. Cress by Marissa Meyer. The Lunar Chronicles is joyful storytelling at its best. Marissa Meyer wants to take you on a delightful, sweeping ride and you should let her. I've been so impressed by how each book tells its own story, introduces new characters, but builds on the foundations of the previous books. Soon, we'll have four dynamic couples battling one evil Lunar queen, and I can't wait. In this third book, I adore the way Captain Thorne is metaphorically blind to Cress's simple goodness and love at first, and also literally blind.

2. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski. I read this and wanted more so I listened to it on audio. And then I listened to my favorite parts again. This book reminded me of Megan Whalen Turner's work, not just because of the geo-politics in a slightly ancient mediterranean-ish setting, but also in the way Marie Rutkoski shows subtle interactions between characters and trusts that we'll understand them without her own intrusion into the narrative. 

3. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. This is the most difficult book I've read in years--or perhaps ever. It was pure torture, like running a marathon--I read every sentence five times before I understood it. But at the finish line, sweating (and angry at what happened on the last page), I found I was enriched by the experience. It even inspired the language of my short story "Noma Girl," for Tor.com. (Which is to say: if my short story is incomprehensible because of lack of punctuation and stream of consciousness, you can blame it on Faulkner.)

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(Keertana: feel free to put these footnotes after the Book Crush segment...it's your call. What kind of author puts footnotes in a blog post anyway? A nerdy one, I guess.)

Footnote 1: For example, the way they instinctively, simultaneously step back behind the privacy line in the emergency room to give a very sick patient and his wife space shows a similar kind of consideration; the way Sol makes D'Arcy laugh when she says that she'll go to college at Dwight Correctional University (this joke is too regional, perhaps: Dwight is the women's prison in Illinois), and Sol notices the similarity of his belly laugh to her brother's; the way D'Arcy pauses, taken aback for just a second when Sol reveals why she kidnapped the baby (her reason is insane, but it's intensely loving); the way Sol observes without judgment D'arcy's concentration while wiping up the condensation ring, whereas before she thought it was machine-like; the way she admires the way he scrabbles his hair when he's thinking; the way Sol finishes D'Arcy's sentence for the first time under Wacker Drive; the way she wants to spare him when he drops her off at the yacht from being dragged down by her... I could go on and on, but listing them is showing me how very small they each are! 

Footnote 2: We already know, for instance, that Sol has never had a boyfriend, and D'Arcy has taken dating very slowly in high school, and has been thoughtful about what he is and is not ready for with other girls. For me, this is evidence that these are two people who, with the luxury of time, would probably have taken things much more slowly. In addition, D'Arcy's concern about hurting Sol during sex is strong enough that I believe it may have led them to delay intercourse, and to approach it with smaller steps. 

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Keertana, and for embarking on the discussion of romance, love, and sex with me!

ELIZABETH FAMA is the YA author most recently of Plus One, an alternate-history thriller set in contemporary Chicago. Her other books include Monstrous Beauty, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection and an Odyssey honor winner, and Overboard, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a society of Midland Authors honor book, and a nominee for five state awards. A graduate of the University of Chicago, where she earned a B.A. in biology and an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in economics, she lives with (and cannot live without) her boisterous, creative family in Chicago.
Website / Twitter / Tumblr

Thanks for stopping by, Elizabeth! I adored the footnotes and I have a feeling readers are going to love your recommendations - I know I do! :)

Giveaway!
One Hardcover of Plus One - US/CAN Only
(Ends 4/9/14)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don't forget to check out the other tour stops as well!

March 31st  -  Fiction Fare

April 1st       - The Starry Eyed Revue

April 2nd      - Ivy Book Bindings

April 3rd       - Carina's Books

April 4th       - Presenting Lenore

April 5th       - Shae Has Left the Room

April 6th       - The Best Books Ever

April 7th       - Teen Librarian Toolbox

April 8th       - Love is Not a Triangle  (Release Day)

April 9th      -  The Bevy Bibliotheque

Mini-Reviews & Giveaway: Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke & Amber House by Kelly Moore

Title: Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea (Between, #1)

Author: April Genevieve Tucholke

Rating: 2.5 Stars

...that's it? Are we all sure I received the right book in the mail, because I'm just a little bit confused. Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea became a blogging sensation when it first released a few months back and, ever since, I've been curious to try it out for myself. When my copy first arrived, I got through about half the book before turning to other pressing ARCs. Now, having finally found the time to settle back into this story, I've wound up disappointing. For some reason, I expected a lot more to...happen. *scratches head, still confused*

Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea excels as the gothic mystery it is marketed as. Not only is the writing beautiful, painting an atmosphere of chilling nights and howling winds, but the imagery Tucholke forces us to conjure, of little children holding sticks and hunting the devil, are spine-tingling. With the exception of this lyrical prose, however, this novel has little to offer. Its protagonist, Violet, is much like any typical heroine who plans to resist the "bad boy" but fails spectacularly. Moreover, I didn't appreciate the manner in which our feelings for Violet are intentionally manipulated. Violet's twin brother, Luke, is a rude misogynist and his girlfriend, Sunshine, essentially exists as a foil to Violet. Both Luke and Sunshine do little to develop the story, but their existence makes Violet seem like a much better alternative character. Frankly speaking, though this method is used by many authors, I'm not a fan of it merely because it doesn't offer many reasons to like the protagonist for who she is, which seems like cheating to me. If you only like the protagonist in comparison to those around her, do you really even like her at all?

River West, the mysterious boy who rents the guest house behind Violet's huge house, is essentially a creep. And an insta-love machine. Although he has never fallen for a girl before, of course he falls for Violet. Why? I still have no clue. And Violet too, who is a sensible teenager (supposedly), takes one look at River and instantly falls for him as well. *gag* While I really liked the moral questions that River's presence brings up - after all, can you really love someone if their actions go against your moral code? - ultimately that wasn't enough to save this novel for me. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is very similar to most paranormal reads, but its writing style sets it apart, giving it a gothic feel that I really enjoyed. When you strip that away, however, this is nothing but a slow-moving novel with characters that are just a little too familiar.

Title: Amber House (Amber House, #1) 

Author: Kelly Moore, Larkin Reed, Tucker Reed

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Despite its unremarkable beginning, Amber House is a promising start to a new series. In many ways, this novel reminded me of The Dark Unwinding for both books feature a mysterious old house, even more curious tenants, and hidden mysteries. Where The Dark Unwinding relied upon steampunk machines, an "insane" uncle, and unknown towns to further its plot line, this novel features strange twists of time, hushed-up family secrets, and long-forgotten abilities.

Amber House is dull, at first, rather boring and difficult to get through. Once the novel hits its stride, however, it soon delves into an intriguing tale. Sarah, the protagonist of our tale, can see the past. And in Amber House, a building known to preserve echoes of its history, Sarah's abilities thrive as she witnesses pieces of her ancestry come together to reveal truths she never knew about her family. One of the highlights of this novel is the relationship Sarah sustains with her family members. With her autistic younger brother, Sam, she is unfailingly caring, but with her mother, her relationship is tenuous at best. Moore and the two Reeds explore this rift between the two in a complex manner, giving us insight into Sarah's mother's past, which therefore sheds light on her present behavior.

Unfortunately, there is a rather irritating - and unnecessary - love triangle at play here. In fact, it only detracts from the story and causes Sarah to forget her usual sensibility. Quite thankfully, however, the love triangle is resolved in this first installment and will - hopefully - be absent from the sequel. With such a rushed ending, one that leaves behind more questions than answers, I am glad to have the sequel already on hand. Needless to say, I won't be wasting much time to find out just where Sarah's journeys take her next.

Win a Gothic Romance Bundle of Books! 

In preparation for the month of February - the month of romance! - I will be picking two winners and each winner will choose a Gothic Romance Bundle of their choice from the list below:
Bundle #1: Of Old Houses
ARC of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Brand New Hardcover of Manor of Secrets

Bundle #2: Of a Series
ARC of Amber House
Brand New Hardcover of Neverwas, sequel to Amber House

US ONLY
Ends 2/10

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