Sunday (Monday!) Sunshine: Rochester Teen Book Festival Edition, Part 1

Yikes!  What happened to this weekend?

Well, I know what happened.  I spent the whole darn thing hanging out with Mr. S, enjoying a weekend at home in a month full of travel.  We went to the mall, had a movie night double feature (Bring It On and Pitch Perfect, neither of which we had ever seen), had Mother's Day brunch with his parents and grandmother, ran errands, baked cookies, and I did a little driving practice (first time in the rain!)

...And then suddenly it was 10:30 Sunday night and I had to plan and grade and write my 300 words!  So, blogging got away from me.

That's ok, though, because I managed to finish an extra book that I can tell you about here!  All the books I read last week, and the ones I'm planning to read this week, are by authors who will be present at the Rochester Teen Book Festival this weekend!  I'm going with a few colleagues and students, plus of course the wonderful Mr. S (who is waking up wicked early on Saturday to drive me and a few of my kiddos to Rochester!) 

The lineup of authors is pretty amazing!  Luckily, the authors I want to see are matched up to the extent that, if I skip lunch, I can see every panel I'm interested in (well, except for the authors I was lucky enough to hear from at SCBWI in February!)

Just for fun, books I've read by authors who will be there:

Wither, Fever, and Sever by Lauren DeStefano
Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Crank, Glass, and Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
False Memory by Dan Krokos
Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
Boy Meets Boy, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Every Day by David Levithan (and others)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
How To Save A Life, Story of a Girl, and Once Was Lost (aka What We Lost) by Sara Zarr

And the books I hope to add to that list by Saturday:
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith

I probably won't get through them all (especially if I re-read Cinder, which I'm planning to) but that's the wishlist.  So many awesome authors!  I'll report back next week :)

And here are my thoughts on What I Read This Week:



Fever by Lauren DeStefano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, this was a fast read! I was glad to find out more about Rhine and her world. As often happens with this kind of trilogy, I missed the relatively lovely (if sinister) setting of the first book, but I did eventually get sucked in by the new settings and characters introduced in this installment. There was at least one twist that left me gaping (not sure if I would have figured it out if I'd re-read Wither before diving in, but I certainly found it exciting and satisfying) and I downloaded the third book to my Kindle before I even finished this one.



Sever by Lauren DeStefano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This final book in the Chemical Garden trilogy provided a dark but satisfying ending to a series that really grew on me. I was completely engrossed in the world, and I loved the characters. Lauren DeStefano struck a great balance between developing older characters and introducing new ones as the series went along, and this installment was no exception. I have to say, by the end of the series, spoiled child-bride Cecily became hands-down my favorite character. She breaks my heart and makes me...proud? In a really twisted way? I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I completely loved her larger role in this book. I don't want to get too spoilery (difficult, when writing about the final book of a series) but I felt like the payoffs for characters and for the central issues really worked. I'll be very interested to see what DeStefano does next.


False Memory by Dan Krokos
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this book after a student recommended it to me. I'm glad I had that to keep me moving through the beginning, because while the action starts early in this book, it felt like the story took a while to really get going. There is a lot of setup here, which I imagine won't be present in the next book. But the second half of the book was definitely exciting and full of twists and turns. I think False Memory would appeal to some of my students who are more interested in action than relationships, as I found the characters to be a little flat. (Of course, in a book about a girl who's lost her memory, this is not necessarily a criticism! It's just that the plot here is, in my opinion, much more compelling than the characters.) I'm looking forward to reading the next installment and recommend this highly for anyone who likes a little sci-fi mixed into their explosions and hand-to-hand combat scenes.

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Sunday Sunshine: Funny and Sweet Edition

Back on a normal schedule!

Well, blog-wise, at least.  I kicked the week off with a bit of illness and ended it with a great trip to my hometown to see my dad.  So I didn't read a ton but I really enjoyed the two books I did get to.  Special thanks to Ghenet--I won my copy of Ditched in a giveaway she hosted on her blog recently!

What I Read This Week:


Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was the only bright spot in my recent bout of 24-hour-stomach-awfulness. It's a fun read that managed to keep my spirits up in the midst of feeling basically like death. So, right off the bat, I'd like to express my appreciation to Robin Mellom (and to Ghenet, because I won my copy from her!)

Ditched has a great, satisfying story, with a witty, sarcastic narrator. Justina is a flawed, sympathetic, character, whose insecurities and low blood sugar cause her to make a series of misguided decisions that lead to the worst prom night ever. The cast of characters--almost all of whom are more complicated than they originally appear--is fantastically weird. I particularly love the Mikes, a pair of lovable stoners, and their girlfriends, Serenity and Bliss.

This just begs to be read on a nice, sunny weekend during prom season--and it's even better if your prom days are behind you! But if they aren't, rest assured: there's no way your prom could be this complicated. And if it is--well, then high school is almost over, so hang in there!

The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am always surprised at the amount of heart and sincerity in Maureen Johnson's books. Her online persona is so goofy and occasionally diabolical, and her books are so funny, that when I get to the end and I'm genuinely touched--as I always am--it startles me a little. This one was no exception. The Gold sisters--Brooks, May, and Palmer--are utterly lovable. They are each so broken up over their father's death, each in their own way. The shifting perspective gives us glimpses into each sister's head. We spend the most time with May, the responsible middle child, and her struggle with learning to drive (even as school comes fairly easily to her) made me love her instantly. Palmer, the youngest, worked her way into my heart next, with her panic attacks and intense feeling of alienation. And Brooks--whose grief looks a lot like wild-child behavior--finally won me over about halfway through the novel, when it becomes clear how lonely she is under everything else. I miss these girls already, and I finished the book just an hour or two ago.

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Z is for Zombies!

Welcome to Day 26 of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge here at Reading on the F Train.  Today's topic is Zombies!


Because why not?  I've slowly but surely come around to the realization that, while I often don't love "creature" books, I'm a big fan of zombies.  I think what I like about zombies is their versatility.  They can feature in the classic horror stories, campy thrillers, quieter, character-driven pieces, post-apocalyptic nightmares, and even romances.  Here's a list of some zombie books I've enjoyed, and some on my TBR:

Mrs. S's bookshelf: zombies

The Dead-Tossed Waves

by Carrie Ryan

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

by Carrie Ryan

The Dark and Hollow Places

by Carrie Ryan

The Weepers: The Other Life

by Susanne Winnacker

This is a book I plan to stock in my classroom. I enjoyed it, but I think it will really appeal to some of my students who aren't so crazy about reading. It's short and full of action and gore (not so much my thing, but I know I have s...

Something Strange and Deadly

by Susan Dennard

Oh man, I just finished this book, and my pulse is racing. I am slowly starting to come around to the idea that I think zombie books are pretty awesome. This one is a little different from others I've encountered, though, in that the z...

Undead

by Kirsty McKay

This was a good old-fashioned zombie romp! Of the zombie books I've read--and they are becoming more numerous than I expected them to--this one is the closest to watching a traditional zombie horror movie. Now, my theory of horror movi...

This is Not a Test

by Courtney Summers

I heard a lot of people praise this book very highly, and I was definitely not disappointed. I read this one relatively slowly--not because it was paced slowly (exactly the opposite) but because I was busy, and because I didn't want it ...

Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies

by Brent Hartinger

I don't want to ignore the first half of this book, which continues the story of Russel Middlebrook, but I was so excited when I got to the second half and discovered that it was narrated by Russel's friend Min. As scarce as YA fiction ...

Ashes

by Ilsa J. Bick

Dearly, Departed

by Lia Habel

Zombies Vs. Unicorns

by Holly Black

Alice in Zombieland

by Gena Showalter

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

by Max Brooks

Y is for...Yuck! (Also, "Yes, And")

Welcome to Day 25 of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge here at Reading on the F Train.  Today's topic is Yuck*!


Yeah, so today's topic was going to be "Yes, And"--a major rule of improvisation and something that I think applies to writing in some interesting ways.  BUT then I woke up at 4am in the throes of the awful bug Mr. S had on Saturday, and now sitting up long enough to write this (ten minutes?) feels like running up the steps of the Empire State Building.  So, I'll have to owe you that other post (and to my improviser friends: please forgive me for being the billionth person to steal the one thing people know about improv and bend it to my own will.  Probably best if you skip that future post.) 


So today, Y is for "Yuck", as in, YUCK, I feel like garbage...and I'm glad for once that you all are my online friends and I don't have to worry about giving this to any of you. 

Sunday Sunshine: Two Weeks In One Edition!

So...missed last week.  Missed it entirely.  Oops.

Part of that was due to blog fatigue--only two more letters to go, you guys!--and part was because I was mid-book on Sunday and didn't get round to finishing it in time for a review.  So here's what I've read in the last two weeks--including a book that I feel like I've been wanting to read since about the DAY I started blogging.  Jellicoe Road definitely topped the list of "books people have told me I MUST read"--and I'm SO excited and happy that I finally got to it.  I also completely fell in love with Meg Rosoff's books, which wasn't that surprising after hearing her speak and be awesome at SCBWI in February!

Here's what I read in the last two weeks!

 A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A teeny-tiny fictional country, on an island populated by four villagers, a mad king, a grumbling housekeeper, and three royal girls? At the beginning of WWII? HELLO. Yes please.

As excited as I was to read this, it started off slow for me. I think the diary format, while endearing (holy moly, do I love Sophia), can be tricky in terms of conveying action and dialogue dramatically and authentically. Once I got used to the style, though, I found myself attached to all the FitzOsbornes (oh, including Prince Carlos, who I neglected to mention above because he is a Portugese Water Dog.)

The whole thing has more the feel of Downton Abbey than Code Name Verity, despite being set during World War II. Since Montmaray is so isolated, it's hard to get a sense of culture, and what little there is definitely feels pretty traditional (concerns for propriety, hemlines, etc.) But then the last third or so heats up into quite an exciting, suspenseful adventure, and I raced through it. I'm really looking forward to tracking down the sequels.

There is No Dog by Meg RosoffMy rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a strange book. I mean, really, what a truly bewildering, unusual book. And a funny one. And anxiety-provoking. And lovable. (Reviews excerpted on the cover of my edition with which I fully agree: "wildly inventive", "startlingly original", "thoughtful, hilarious.")

When a book makes me laugh out loud, that's a good sign it will be one of my favorites. When I have been reading a book for ten minutes and already laughed out loud twice, then gone back to re-read one of those lines and laughed out loud a third time...then it's this book. That has never happened before. Not that it's all a laugh riot, mind you. This book deals with literal forces of nature, life and death, love and sex, the weather. (Lots of weather. This is the most interesting book about weather you will ever read.)

And the clincher, the moment my brain actually articulated the words "Uh-oh, this book just stole my heart" is a little creature somewhere between a penguin and an anteater. He's an Eck. He's called Eck. He says "eck" a lot. He's the last of his kind, he's God's own pet, and he's a dear. I noted him as my favorite-ever minor character and about 20 pages later, he was vaulted into the plot in a way that meant I could not stop reading and/or thinking about this book.

But there are other characters, I suppose. Like God--properly called Bob--who is a teenage boy. Whatever comes to your mind when you hear the phrase "teenage boy" probably applies in this case: Bob is a sex-addled, self-centered slob. He's also creative, bold, and exciting (in short bursts.) (And he's nowhere near as nice as he should be to Eck.) Bob is in love with Lucy--who, unfortunately, is mortal. This is his story as much as it is his. It's also the story of Mr. B (imagine Rupert Giles, but if he really couldn't stand Buffy, if Buffy was God, and if Buffy had actually beaten him out for the job he wanted in the beginning.) Bob's mother Mona, Mona's poker nemesis and intergalactic tough guy Emoto Hed, and Emoto Hed's unflappable daughter Estelle also figure into the godly side of things, while Lucy's clergyman godfather Bernard, her be-cardiganed mother Laura, her prickly boss Luke, and Luke's daffy neighbor Skype(!!) round out the human cast. I've come to love them all, I suppose, although Mr. B is the clear winner after Eck, and Estelle next, and then everybody else forming the pack a ways back from third place (just because I love those three so much.) You may have different favorites; they're all favorite-able.

This is a book about people (to use the term loosely) in bizarre circumstances looking for equilibrium. Only one character has what it takes to actually bring that about. (Hint: it's not Bob!) Read this and see for yourself why I loved it. I'll leave you with one of my favorite bits:

"Eck tilts his head and gently licks Bob's ear with his long, sticky tongue. It is his special way of expressing sympathy and it is not effective."
--p. 18

I received a copy of this book through Goodreads First Read program in exchange for an honest review.
 
How I Live Now by Meg RosoffMy rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've heard this book called dystopian or post-apocalyptic; those phrases both conjure the picture of something that feels far-off and strange. This book feels terrifyingly immediate and plausible. Shortly after Daisy travels from New York to the British countryside to live with her aunt and cousins, war breaks out. It's not trenches and nukes, as people have feared in the past, but shortages, new rules, and sporadic outbreaks of violence. It feels like I imagine war might really feel. And yes, there is survival involved, and horrible things happen (spoiler/warning: horrible things happen to both people and animals, just as a heads up, although it's nothing too prolonged.)

Daisy's voice cuts through all she has to go through and forces you to care about her and her cousins. Even as she grows closer to one cousin than is usually permissible in works more recent than Austen, it's impossible not to sympathize with her. I love her blunt observations and the gradual unfolding of her own problems and perspectives. And I love how quietly and simply this book breaks your heart.

 The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Re-read in order to prepare for the sequel.

Original review here.



 Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Warning: this review may be spoiler-ier than usual, largely because I feel like I am the LAST person on the entire internet to read this book. And because I loved it and want to talk about why. I will NOT spoil any of the major plot reveals, though.

I think I was warned too many times against the opening of this book--I was pretty much relieved to find that it was in English! But the opening, and the book in general, does something I love: it drops you in without much context at all, and asks you to work it out. All the pieces are there, but not all at once. This makes the unfolding story immensely satisfying, as you start to see things shift into focus.

And, ok. This may be a controversial opinion. So let me be really clear: I like Jonah Griggs a lot. I think he's great. I love the bits other people love: pulling over abruptly, his rubbish ideas about what's romantic, all. the. kissing.

BUT.

Whatever I feel about Jonah Griggs is blown so far out of the water by what I feel about Taylor Markham. And particularly the evolution of the relationship between Taylor Markham and Jessa McKenzie. Jessa--and watching Taylor learn to love her--is my favorite thing about this book, hands down. (Um, so as you might imagine, I spent a fair amount of the last fifty pages or so sobbing. Like, I started as soon as I realized Jessa might be in danger, and then didn't really stop till the end because I was so overwhelmed.)

Anyway, thank you to everyone who's ever raved about this book. I'm one of you now. I love it SO much. (UGH, and I haven't even touched on Raffy or Santangelo. So good. SO good. Just read it. Or re-read it, I guess, because I'm the last one to this party.)

 The Elite by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book in this compulsively readable series. Kiera Cass writes the kinds of books that makes me curse book blogging, because I wish I hadn't heard of this series yet--it begs to be read all at once, and the third book doesn't even have a release date. But since I can't change the past or speed up the release of book three, I'll focus on book two.

Here's the thing about both The Selection and The Elite. The writing is actually not my favorite. And yes: the love triangle. Oh lord, the love triangle. It gets drawn out for. ev. er. So, I definitely have a few complaints--not major ones, not dealbreakers, but they're there.

...And then I get sucked into the plot and I kind of don't care. I get totally carried away by the caste system, the palace, the politics, the friendships, and the romance. And I want more. This series would make great spring break or beach reading: the books are both quick reads and I think they're a lot of fun. The Elite is a little darker than The Selection, as the political situations heat up both domestically and abroad, but at its heart it's still about a guy and a girl trying to decide if they're right for each other. I found myself thinking about The Selection way more than I expected over the year or so between when I read that and now. I have a hunch I will be experiencing similar pangs of "It comes out when???" between now and the release of the final book.

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X is for X-Factor

Welcome to Day 24 of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge here at Reading on the F Train.  Today's topic is X-Factors!

So, obviously, there are some books that are just awesome.  Great writing, great story, great characters.  Duh, right?

But sometimes, a story gets its hooks into a reader for a much more specific reason.  There's something about it that makes you cry or laugh or pump a fist in the air or sleep with the book under your pillow.  The X-Factor. 

Every reader has their own set of X-Factors.  I've tried to come up with some of mine:

--Horses, including carnivorous ones, but more than that--the people who love those horses.  Extra bonus points if the people who love horses are brooding islander dreamboats (looking at you, Sean Kendrick.) 

--Couples/characters with deep connections who are forcibly separated.  I'm talking true, soulmate-level connections: whether it's Maddie and Julie in Code Name Verity or Henry and Clare in The Time Traveler's Wife, seeing two people who really love each other torn apart may seem cliche, but it's also guaranteed to make me ugly-cry and then carry the book around everywhere for a week.

--Good depictions of performance.  Unfortunately, I can be very picky about descriptions of high school theatre, because it was my entire life as a teenager.  My school usually did five shows a year, and I managed to act in or work on fifteen of them over the course of my four years.  And we were super serious about it (note that I spell it with the more pretentious "re" ending.  That's how serious we were.)  So when I find a book that gets it right--whether it's theater, music, or dance--I get super-excited.  (It's what made me fall in love with Elodie's MS when I started beta-reading it!)

Of course, all the books I've mentioned also have great writing, great story, and great characters.  But the thing that really took hold of me and made me love them were my X-Factors.  What are your X-Factors?  What books have you loved because of your X-Factors?

W is for Winning!

Welcome to Day 23 of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge here at Reading on the F Train.  Today's topic is Winning!

Just a quick one tonight, to celebrate my beloved Buffalo Sabres winning the last game of their season.  It was a cruddy season for them (but hey: at least the lockout made it a short cruddy season) but I will love them forever.  It doesn't hurt that right around when I started following them, they had a pretty awesome season and playoff run, the highlight of which (for me, anyway) was this amazing overtime game-winning goal during a playoff game by my first-ever favorite pro athlete, Maxim Afinogenov.  Check out his celebratory belly flop as the crowd freaks out:



That never gets old.  For me, it's a reminder to stop and celebrate your wins every day, large or small!

What's your favorite victorious moment--in sports, in movies, in books...or in your life?