Commuter Corner [1]

So, if you've noticed, this particular haunt of mine on the World Wide Web is getting a little...dusty.

This can be readily (and, in my opinion, justifiably) attributed to the fact that, for the better part of the week, I'm ducking in and out of classrooms, straining under the weight of textbooks, added snow days to the end of the semester and professorial expectations.

Oh, and the constant looming weather. If you ever wondered what form Ebenezer Scrooge would take were he not human and hadn't had the fear of God (and the joy of Christmas) scared into him, it is totally the way it's looked outside every single day since the semester started.


(Seriously, wake me up when February ends. Actually, just hit the snooze button and leave me alone until mid-May.)

Just. Pretend that's snow. And ice. And hail.

In any case, I don't want to leave things around here high and dry while I do my best to be a diligent college student, so I'm opening up a new feature.

(Yeah, it doesn't have a particularly catchy title. Bear with me here.)

Since I've fortunately been able to squeeze in my reading around homework deadlines, in between class periods and even in the car at particularly desperate moments, I'm hoping to provide some on-the-go progress reports, mini reviews and maybe even forecasts on what I might be reading next.

Top Ten Tuesday [1]: Top Ten 2015 Debuts

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*rubs hands together evilly*

Oh, yes. I've been looking forward to this list since September 2014. You know what the best thing is about a fresh, hopeful new year? 

(Besides, you know, kicking the door shut on 2014 and all its awfulness.)

The debuts. And this year in particular, there are so many rocking Fifteeners that even with ten slots to fill, I'm sure I'm going to look back, hit my forehead and groan that I missed someone super important. 

So, just know that I love them all and it's worth a Google or a trip to the Fearless Fifteeners' webpage or GoodReads to catch them all. 

Now, let's get down to the list, in no particular order...

Top Ten! My Reading Wishlist (Calling All YA and Middle Grade Authors)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the lovelies over at The Broke and Bookish. For more information on how to participate, please check them out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

So maybe some of you remember last year, when the talented Shae started up the blogger/reader counterpart to MSWL (Manuscript Wish List). I happily rolled up my sleeves and entered the fray, even though I wasn't completely sure what I had to offer to the great ideas already pouring in.

I don't know if it's just me, but usually, if I feel there's a lack of a book I'd like to read, I set about developing an idea so I can write it one day myself. Thus, whenever I'd try to write up an idea, I'd realize that I wanted to keep it for the good ol' idea jar, and ended back up at square one.

However, there's only so many ideas that you can stash away for later, and I'm very sure that there are authors out there better than me who would probably have some really awesome spin-offs on the thoughts roaming through my head.

That being said...

How about some more dark magical realism? I am always, always a fantasy fangirl at heart. But I adore Nova Ren Suma, and I'd like to see some other titles out there keeping Imaginary Girls snug and warm on the shelf. 

Something along the lines of The Secret Garden wouldn't go wrong. I seem to be the only person who has watched and loved the Hallmark adaptation of this classic. There was just this classically pensive air about it, and it really made me fall head over heels for the dark, brooding moors of Gothic literature - but beyond the gloom and the haunted past of the lord of the house and his poor, invalid son, there was also hope sprouting through.

I think we often forget that life is not entirely cynical. We do find happiness. We do find reasons to hope.

And, that being said, more fantasy along the lines of Howl's Moving Castle. It doesn't have to be all love triangles (please, no more) or epic quests. It can also be biting humor and witches and wizards who aren't as grand as they might appear from afar, and a heroine who could be everygirl.

Steampunk that goes beyond Victorian America or England would be grand as well, please and thank you. I mean, surely there were other countries that existed in pre-modern times, right? Frankly, I'm getting tired of gaslamps and clockwork cogs.

I know someone else said this during the hashtag last year, but more cool homeschoolers. Please. If you are writing a homeschooler that is a total dork, cannot socialize, or begs their parents to send them to "regular school with the cool kids," I have to tell you...you are talking out of your hat, sir (or madam). And you can take my word for it. I've been there. Not everyone is miserable, or clinically insane.

How about a cozy YA mystery, too? I grew up on the black-and-white version of Miss Marple, and I have to say, she was a feisty one. Why couldn't that translate to a YA heroine, or even a hero?

More diversity - and more interracial couples that are ACTUALLY interracial wouldn't go wrong, either. During the whole Frozen controversy, someone pointed out how every interracial couple has to involve a Caucasian person. Why can't we think out of the box and open up new horizons? That goes for diversity, too.

Also, stories set in other countries that involve protagonists FROM that country. See above.

More spies. More spies. More spies.

Something else along the lines of The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner would be really awesome. Please? Anyone? Anyone?

A few complex horror stories - along the lines of anime horror. I am a big fan of series such as Shiki, Psycho-Pass and Another - stories that genuinely make you think over the situation and analyze the characters' motivations, while gasping and clutching at your pearls every few minutes.

Are any of my wishlist items on your list? Any ideas you'd want to add?

Top Ten! 2014 Debuts I'm Totally There For

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the lovelies over at The Broke and Bookish. For more information on how to participate, please check them out!

If there's something good I have to say about 2013, it was the authors. I grew ridiculously fond of the Thirteeners, one and all, and I'm looking forward to the talent that is unfolding in 2014!

I tried to steer toward the must-haves that already had covers, which is why a few of my favorite titles are not on the list. Not to worry - they'll get their day pretty soon!

The Murder Complex (The Murder Complex #1) by Lindsay Cummings

An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

I've been waiting for this one since before it had a cover. I personally love Moira Young's Dust Lands and anything involving a girl who knows how to be strong and tough and defend her family. The cover just adds to the gritty feel of the blurb and the author's world.


add on goodreads | releasing june 10 2014

Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1) by Danielle Paige

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

I grew up in Oz. Even as a little girl curled up on the couch with my nose buried in a book full of words written before I was born, I could feel the inherent girl power within it: princesses ruled, a man who was a false wizard and an usurper of the throne was removed by a said princess, and little girls defeated foes twice their size. 

That being said, I have mixed feelings about Dorothy - the traditional protagonist - being the bad guy, but I'm also all for stories being turned on their heads. It'll be interesting to see how this one turns out!

add on goodreads | releasing april 1 2014

The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco 

A dead girl walks the streets.

She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago.

And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan.

Because the boy has a terrifying secret - one that would just kill to get out. 

This is probably my most wanted title of the year. You probably already know about my obsession with Japan, right? And last year, though I've always been crazy about anime, I went on a dark, horrorish-specific binge - that in spite of me being a total, blood-hating baby, so I ended up having to press mute and squeeze my eyes shut quite a few times.

That being said, this is most definitely up my alley. I've been following Rin's blog since she announced her book deal, and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

add on goodreads | releasing august 5 2014

Falls the Shadow by Stefanie Gaither 

When Cate Benson was twelve, her sister died.

Two hours after the funeral, they picked up Violet’s replacement, and it was like nothing had ever happened. Because Cate’s parents are among those who decided to grant their children a sort of immortality—by cloning them at birth. So this new Violet has the same smile. The same laugh. That same perfect face. Thanks to advancements in mind-uploading technology, she even has all the same memories as the girl she replaced.

She also might have murdered the most popular girl in school.

Or at least, that’s what the paparazzi and crazy anti-cloning protesters want everyone to think: that clones are violent, unpredictable monsters. Cate is used to hearing all that, though. She’s used to standing up for her sister too, and she’s determined to prove her innocence now—at whatever the cost. But the deeper she digs for the truth, the further Cate's carefully-constructed life begins to unravel, unveiling a world filled with copies and lies, where nothing and no one—not even her sister— is completely what they seem.

In a pulse pounding debut, Stefanie Gaither takes readers on a nail-biting ride through a future that looks frighteningly similar to our own time and asks: how far are you willing to go to keep your family together?

I don't think I need to really say anything about this one. I mean, the summary says it all, right? Would you honestly turn down something this heart-pounding? Clones, murder and manipulation, oh, my! 

add on goodreads | releasing september 16 2014

Blackfin Sky by Kat Ellis 

When Sky falls from Blackfin Pier and drowns on her sixteenth birthday, the whole town goes into mourning – until she shows up three months later like nothing happened.

Unravelling the mystery of those missing months takes Sky to the burned-out circus in the woods, where whispers of murder and kidnapping begin to reveal the town’s secrets. But Sky’s not the only one digging up the past – the old mime from the circus knows what happened to her, and he has more than one reason for keeping quiet about it.

This has a very Imaginary Girls feel to me, and since that is one of my favorites, I'm hoping this will strike a chord in me as well!

add on goodreads | releasing may 14 2014

Sekret (Sekret #1) by Lindsay Smith

Yulia’s father always taught her that an empty mind is a safe mind. She has to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive in Communist Russia, especially because she seems to be able to read the minds of the people she touches. When she’s captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she’s thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power where she can trust no one.

She certainly can’t trust Rostov, the cruel KGB operative running the psychic program. Or handsome Sergei who encourages her to cooperate with the KGB. Or brooding Valentin who tells her to rebel against them. And not the CIA, who have a psychic so powerful he can erase a person’s mind with his own thoughts. Yulia quickly learns she must rely on her own wits and power to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.

I've gotten to know Lindsay through Twitter the past year. She's sweet, knowledgeable and enthusiastic - and so is the summary for her debut. I used to be obsessed with Russian history back in middle school, particularly the tragically doomed Romanov family. But espionage, history and dystopia blended with it? Dream come true.

add on goodreads | releasing april 1 2014

Extraction (Extraction #1) by Stephanie Diaz

Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves Promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.

What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too.

Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.

Yes, yes, yes! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the debut that will rock your shelves this year. I had the pleasure of pre-reading a draft of this for Stephanie, and it is definitely all that the summary promises and then some. 

add on goodreads | releasing july 22 2014

Half Bad (Half Life Trilogy #1) by Sally Green

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his sixteenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

This is really, really my cup of tea: spicy (witches, witches and more witches!), flavorful (a modern-day London with a fantastic twist) and obviously willing to leave a haunting aftertaste. Can we forward-fast to March already?

add on goodreads | releasing march 4 2014

Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen 

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

I fell in love with Clare B. Dunkle's Hollow Kingdom series in 2012 - though I don't think I ever got around to reviewing it here, as with many things I loved in 2012. Ah, well. In any case, this sounds a lot like it - and trolls? Yes, please! I love faeries, but I think they are rather overdone at this point.

add on goodreads | releasing april 1 2014

The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnson 

Listen! For I sing of Owen Thorskard: valiant of heart, hopeless at algebra, last in a long line of legendary dragon slayers. Though he had few years and was not built for football, he stood between the town of Trondheim and creatures that threatened its survival. There have always been dragons. As far back as history is told, men and women have fought them, loyally defending their villages. Dragon slaying was a proud tradition. But dragons and humans have one thing in common: an insatiable appetite for fossil fuels. 

From the moment Henry Ford hired his first dragon slayer, no small town was safe. Dragon slayers flocked to cities, leaving more remote areas unprotected. Such was Trondheim's fate until Owen Thorskard arrived. At sixteen, with dragons advancing and his grades plummeting, Owen faced impossible oddsarmed only with a sword, his legacy, and the classmate who agreed to be his bard. Listen! I am Siobhan McQuaid. I alone know the story of Owen, the story that changes everything. Listen!

Dragons are a huge soft spot for me. My current WIP also is centered around them, so this must be the year of scaly, fire-breathing reptiles for me! The idea of a dragon epic in our present day is humorous and endearing. I can't wait to see how it turns out!


add on goodreads | releasing march 1 2014

Are any of my anticipated debuts on your list? Any that you think I should know about?

Top Ten Tuesday: 2013 Debutantes I Need in My Life

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish; see the site for past and future topics, and other info for jumping in!

 

 

Alright, so I haven't done this dance in a while, but the topic was so good today I couldn't resist, and I know you guys won't be able to either. Okay, ready? It's... Top Ten 2013 Debuts. Perfect, right? (Except for the problem that I'm pretty much psyched for every single title locked in for 2013, but you can't win them all.)

 

Today, however, I'm making my own rule for the post. Instead of ten, I chose thirteen of my favorite books. That way, I got to add on three more titles, and have a way of paying tribute to the awesome books we can look forward to this year.

 

Yes, I know. I'm a genius.

 

 

 

 

1. Dualed by Elsie Chapman - Okay, okay, I know I'm cheating with this one. I've read it, wrote the review, got the t-shirt...hey, wait, I didn't get a t-shirt. Must correct that. But anyway, I don't think it's completely cheating because I now consider Elsie a good friend and I adore her and her writing and I'm totally going to throw a party on her book birthday just because this book is so darn awesome.

 

Moving on...

 

2. The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shephard - Anyone willing to lend me an ARC? Because I can't seem to get my hands on this little gem anywhere *sobs* Ah, well, there's always the library.

 

3. Taken by Erin Bowman - Yay for Pub Crawl ladies! Seriously, that blog is manned with the stars of the publishing world. There's also the double-whammy of it having a male protagonist and a cool cover.

 

4. Ink by Amanda Sun - ...And you already probably knew I was going to somehow slip Japan in here somewhere. You guys are really smart, you know that? Or maybe, I'm just a little too predicable. Anyway, I've talked to Amanda a few times around these parts, and she seems really sweet, and of course, have you ever known me to resist a book that involved Japan?! Please.

 

5. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Tucholke - See, this book is mainly why this post is titled the 2013 Debutantes I NEED IN MY LIFE. The new pitch, as taken from Edelweiss, pretty much describes it as Fitzgerald with a dark side. I'm now picturing angsty jazz, dark secrets and possibly someone being hit with a car being driven by a reincarnated Lovecraft monster. (If I'm totally off the mark with this description, someone please go out and write this story.)

 

6. Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis - There isn't a cover for this one yet - at least not that can be found on GoodReads - so I have both that and the general anticipation for this title crushing my soul. Have you read the query letter on YA Highway? This, this is the type of stuff that deserves salvation from the slush pile and a position on my shelf ASAP.

 

7. City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster - Confession: I didn't really know what this book was about until like a few weeks of following Miriam, mainly because I was distracted by how funny and talented she is. But when I realized how much awesome girl-power potential it had, I was all over it. And have yet to get a hand on a copy of it. *growls*

 

8. The Falconer by Elizabeth May - I found out about her through WriteOnCon (she happens to be a success story). Definitely one author you need to keep an eye on: Steampunk Scotland? Forget England, people. This girl's setting out for the new frontier.

 

9. Splintered by A.G. Howard - It's about Alice in Wonderland, which means it's based off a classic, which means that I don't actually have to explain to you how awesome it is and convince you to pick it up. You just will.

 

10. Premeditated by Josein McQuein - Look up the query letter on Query Shark. That is all you need to know.

 

 

Bonus!

 

11. In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters - I love the cover for this one. I love the summary. I love the fact that it's coming out sooner rather than later, so I can actually read it without depending on NetGalley and their capricious way of picking reviewers. :(

 

12. Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood - It involves gypsies. It sounds very Diana Wynne Jones-eque blurb-wise. And it's from Britain. The Charlotte Bronte spirit within me swoons.

 

13. Transparent by Natalie Whipple - Natalie is one of those bloggers slash writers that I just kind of eye shyly and follow avidly. And trust me, you've always wanted to be invisible at some point or another, right? Now you get a look at what it might actually be like!

 

 

 

  

Are any of these on your list? Do you think I missed out on anyone? Let me know, and I wish you a happy 2013 full of rich, inspiring debuts!

All The Books: May 7, 2012

All credit for this feature goes to the lovely Jordyn of Ten Cent Notes; I just happened to love the idea and I'm glad she's generous enough to share it so I can fill in my Mondays. All The Books is meant to be a round-up of any book news/excitement over the past week. Since this is the beginning of a new week,I figure that I'll be talking about whatever's happened between last Monday and this one.

Ready? Here we go...

Current Reads

 

Still slogging my way through Clockwork Angel - I have to say, this is the longest I'm taking through a book recently. I can't really complain, though. I mean, I won't say I'm an absolute fan now, but the dry humor and constant action is enough to keep me hooked for now. I also cracked open my copy of Timepiece (Kaleb's point of view for the win!) and I'm hoping that I'll be able to finish it before the release date and rustle up a proper review. 

 

On the middle-grade front, I completed The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell - which is basically a mix-up of Beauty and the Beast, The Twelve Dancing Princess, Greek mythology and Sleeping Beauty. Oh, and Vlad Tepes is around too - you know, the real Dracula? That's what you call a hot mess. It sort of reminded me of Ella Enchanted, but with a little less lovability (is that even a word?) - and wow, I'm really hard to please this week, aren't I? I think my main dislike of it was the fact that her dad [SPOILER SPOILER MAJOR SPOILER] and she [SPOILER SPOILER LOOK THE OTHER WAY]. So yeah, don't get all mad at me if you adored it.

As always, I have a ton of e-galleys on the Kindle that need, a) reading, b) reviewing, or c) all of the above. Right now, I'm tackling Shadowfall by Juliet Marillier - my first title by her, and I have to say, I'm not completely sold. I say that, though, after clearing through around 70% of the book, so we'll see what the final verdict is.

Oooh, oooh, oooh...Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas! How could I forget that? It wasn't exactly what I was expecting - I was one of the old Fictionpress readers, and though not much of the story stuck with me from those foggy days of yesteryear, I suspected that the plot needed a teensy bit more revision - but I did enjoy it.

And now that we've gone over what's already been hanging about my bookshelf...

It's time for a new edition of the Library Haul!

Well, the first step to solving a problem is admitting you have it.

So, hello world. My name is Kaye (Hi, Kaye) and I am...oh, don't make me say it!...a book hoarder. Yes, you read that correctly. My reading pile spilleth over - yes, it is seriously a pile, or probably more like a leaning tower - and I still cannot resist the siren's call.

As of right now, I hold the record for the most books checked out from my library. No, I am not kidding. The librarian informed me and then double-checked. Twice.

Anyway, there's no use crying over spilt milk. I stepped into the library today, I somehow wandered into the YA section, and I skipped out happily with eight or so new titles. It could happen to anyone, okay?

I'm not going to flood you with the whole list, but I'm particularly excited for Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (finally!!!); White Cat by Holly Black; Half World by Hiromi Goto (I <3 Japan. But you probably already know that); and Above by Leah Bobet.

Of course (minor disclaimer here for those who might be salivating at the idea of a few reviews)...me checking out the books doesn't mean I'll get through them and review them. Right now, at least. I have this habit of hanging onto titles, skimming through them, wrinkling my nose and replacing them in the (wobbling) stack. It takes my mother pointing out that dust is gathering on the covers, or my dad wondering aloud if anything is going back to the library this week, for me to finally make that painful decision to let them go.

For now. If anything, being a reader's taught me that sometimes, a title needs time to grow on you.

New Discoveries (The BEA Edition)

Alright. So everyone's probably sick of hearing about BEA at this point. But seriously, guys, this is like the equivalent of Cinderella's making it to the ball for me. I never expected that my registration would get in, and I definitely didn't think that everyone I know would be so gung-ho about me getting there. There's still some stuff in the air, and June still seems so far away, so I have to keep talking about it to keep it from being a dream.

Also, it seems like I'll have to go one day. And both Tuesday and Wednesday has some AWESOME stuff going on. Yeah, no pressure, right?

Anyway, Publishers Weekly unveiled their Children's Galleys to Grab at BEA list, which is helping me with my little pros and cons .doc I've got going on right now. Right now, topping my personal list is The Diviners by Libba Bray, Crewel by Gennifer Albin, What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang and The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (one of my writing heroes <3). 

 

All exciting stuff. Check them out on GoodReads if you don't believe me. 

But seriously, people aren't kidding when they say that you're going to be drawn to a load of books. I was expecting to have a few select titles, a reasonable bundle that can fit into like a messenger bag or something - but it's at least fifty books now.

I'm going to be in reader heaven, that's for sure.

Up Next

BEA planning craziness. 

More reviews, I hope? I promise I don't procrastinate on homework the way I do with blog updates. Much.

Also, that interview with Hilary Graham should probably go up later in the week. I've loved on the blog enough today as it is.

The next books that will probably be lying on my nightstand are Half World and Masque of the Red Death. Probably. I usually end up spilling the entire pile over the floor, closing my eyes and pointing my finger at one of the books. And then re-evaluating my decision when I see another cover that catches my eye. Lather, rinse, repeat, until someone trips over one of them and I quickly choose one and gather them up before any of them (or me) loses a life.

Welcome to the life of the book obsessed.

Happy beginning of Children's Book Week! How was your weekend, and what are you plans for the new week?

Random Reads: A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

 
Yes, I know what you're thinking. "Kaye, you need another book on that pile next to your desk like you need a third arm!"

Well, a third arm might be handy...

Alright, alright. Truth be told, I've been wanting to participate in Random Reads for a while, but usually by the time I remember, it's the middle of the month - or the end of it. So what's the big deal about this particular meme? Well, basically, you randomly select a book that you've been meaning to use. So in my case, I take my hefty GoodReads list - 1,275 titles on the to-read list, people, and this is taking into account that I check out on average five library books per week, regardless of what's left on the pile at home - and use Random.org to select a page.

I ended up having to do this three times, because two of the pages were basically pre-releases that I can't get my hands on (*sobs*) and the third was a bunch of classics I'd prefer to tackle during the summer, so...in the end, I ended up on page 35. From there, I used Random.org again to narrow it down to lucky number 578.

A Brief History of Montmaray (The Montmaray Journals, #1)
Michelle Cooper
October 13, 2009

“There’s a fine line between gossip and history, when one is talking about kings.”

Sophie Fitzosborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray with her eccentric and impoverished royal family. When she receives a journal for her sixteenth birthday, Sophie decides to chronicle day-to-day life on the island. But this is 1936, and the news that trickles in from the mainland reveals a world on the brink of war. The politics of Europe seem far away from their remote island—until two German officers land a boat on Montmaray. And then suddenly politics become very personal indeed.

I actually won this through Random Buzzers last year - it got lost in the mail somewhere along the way and there were no other copies left. Ah, well, no use crying over spilt milk. In any case, I haven't read any good historical fiction in a while and this seems promising.

The thought of the journal format is making me a little twitchy, though.

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors at My Thanksgiving Feast

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish. It's like sitting in a waiting room with nothing more than a slip of paper and a pencil, and making a list of things about the receptionist's face that interests you - and then sharing it with every other poor, bored kid there and having them add on their observations. So, yeah, go join.

This week's list is authors you'd invite to your Thanksgiving feast. Whew. That would need to be a lot of food. Alright, so right off the cuff...

1. Maryrose Wood. She's awesome, I already know her, and she always has the right touch of wit and whimsy to liven up a dinner party. Especially when she starts howling. 

2. Maureen Johnson. Seriously? Who would not invite Maureen Johnson to a dinner party?! I mean, that's like the invitation move of a total social pariah. Really. (If you have no idea why you should want MJ to come to your Thanksgiving, just watch her on Twitter for an hour. Just an hour. You'll see.)

3. Ally Carter. For all I know, she'd probably come busting in the house with a guest party of retired CIA agents, ex-French war spies and a couple of random police officers wanting to know what the fuss is about. As long as she brings my Gallagher school application. I think it got lost in the mail.

4. Michelle Zink. She's sweet, and she seems like the type of person who would be the easy-going, "sit me next to anyone and we'll get along" guest that makes everything flow that much easier. (Another person you should follow on Twitter. She's awesome.)

5. Scott Westerfield. Because when you realize that there's a small fuzzy animal nibbling at the turkey, who's going to be able to identify it - and figure out the right way to duck as a giant whale ship comes crashing through the ceiling. Yep. You wish you were invited to my Thanksgiving bash.

6. Charlotte Bronte. ...No, she is not one of the undead. This is a hypothetical feast, right? So I can invite who I want. And I ADORE her. So she gets to come. You got a problem with that?

7. Lemony Snicket. But if you bring that horrible one-eyebrowed man along to poison the pumpkin pie like he did last year, I swear...

8. Victoria Schwab. She doesn't need an explanation. Or a written invitation.

9. Myra McEntire. Her bio says it all: she knows all the words to today's R&B songs. I mean, that's an awesome in-house concert right there!

10. Rick Riordan. If only to have someone to distract my little brother so that he doesn't complain about all the noise my little get-together is making. Well, I might be over there in the corner listening raptly to stories of Percy slaying things (well, after Annabeth saves him) and ugly Greek monsters - but hey, a hostess has got to sit and socialize with each of her guests, right?

Didn't get an invitation? It doesn't mean I love you any less. If you think I was mistaken and didn't add you on, please send me a Howler listing every single reason WHY you should have been on this list. Chances are you'll get to come merely because you have the ability to send a Howler. That's coolness right there.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Last Princess

The Last Princess
Galaxy Craze
May 8, 2012

Happily ever after is a thing of the past.

The year is 2090.

England is a barren land. Food is rationed. Oil has decimated the oceans. The people are restless.

A ruthless revolutionary enacts a plan to destroy the royal family, and in a moment, the king is dead. His heiress, Princess Mary, and her brother, Jamie, have been abducted, and no one knows their fate. Princess Eliza Windsor barely escapes, and finds herself scared and lost in London's dangerous streets.

With a mind for revenge and the safe recovery of her siblings, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. There she is tempted by her first taste of independence -- and true love. Ultimately she must summon her courage and fight to ensure that she does not become... The Last Princess.

Step aside, Anastasia, there's a new lost heiress in town.

When you think about it, most dystopians focus on America falling apart at the seams, facing alien invasion or a plague that should have died away millions of years ago - but rarely touch upon what our friends across the pond will be experiencing. The very idea that Britain's monarchy could be shaken to the point that its last princess would be left to wander the streets for herself is frightening and intriguing all at once.


Also, can I just say how awesome of a name Galaxy Craze is? I doubt it is her birth name - but if it really is, she has some awesome parents. ;)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

TGIF! {3}...or {4}, I've Lost Count

TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by the ah-mazing Ginger of GReads as a basic recapping of the week and a question for her followers to answer/ask their own followers. Simply, it's awesome and makes you feel "THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY." Go and join. Now.


Q. Love-hate relationship: Which characters from a book do you love to hate?

Hoo boy. This is going to be good, because I know for a fact that one character I DESPISE in particular is a heroine that most people adore and consequently rebuke (fuss, fume, throw rolling pins at me) for not liking her as well.

But hey, there's no accounting for taste.

Literary Losers (Or, If the World Thought According to Kaye)

Capricorn from Inkheart 

Let's face it - the guy is UGH-LY. Not to mention cruel, sadistic, a bit too obsessed with his evil pet, and at the same time hooked on Meggie's dad for most of the story. Doesn't anyone else find his whole "You must obey me, Silvertongue" hissing a bit...freaky?

Bella Swan from Twilight


Not even going to waste my time. Next.

Amy March from Little Women

Okay, so this might just be the disappointed elementary school girl within lisping, "But I want Jo and Laurie!" But who didn't? (If you were one of those people, please...don't say anything.) Besides, blond curls and simpering smiles may be nice, for the honeymoon period at least, but I don't think I'd want to stick around the first time she throws a tantrum about Laurie's socks not matching hers.

Mrs. Reed from Jane Eyre

I think she's right up there with Blanche Ingram - selfish, narrow-minded, grasping creatures they both are. Of course, you can't help but pity Mrs. Reed a little (her own daughters don't even cry when she dies, and her beloved son has dragged her down with him) but still...

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games

*scratched record*

...Okay, this is the part where you go, "SAY WHAT?!"

Go ahead. Get it out of your system.

Alright, let's continue.

Sometimes, I feel a little...unusual for not liking Katniss - especially when my friend gave me a long lecture on how independent she is, how kind, how firm, how both Peeta and Gale ADORE her (again, no accounting for taste...I mean, Cinderella's dad thought her new stepmother was the one. Romantic ties don't really amount to much in character)...

The truth is, I really couldn't connect to her. At all. I couldn't see her as this wonderful, all-encompassing girl-hero - just an unlikely shoe-in that begins a bloody revolution simply because she wears this dress that's on fire.

...Really?

Of course, this is just my opinion. If you can tell me something that I've missed about Katniss (or, wonder of wonders, Bella Swan) please, go ahead. Sometimes I do change my aspect on a book once I reread it or someone's pointed out a new point of view.

The Week in Recap

Victoria Schwab's The Near Witch 

Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Eyes

What I Am Reading Today/This Weekend (If You're Interested)

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

 Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Coming Up Next Week

I try to catch up on reviews and instead write posts for memes. As usual.

In other news, I am trying to draw up a list of books I should read to enhance my library visits (ie. keep me from running around the YA section frantically and irritating my younger sister with my lack of organization). Do you have any recommendations? They'd be much appreciated.

What Say You Saturday: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Image credit Ren @ Ren's Rambles

Wither

Lauren DeStefano

358 pages, Simon and Schuster 

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant she trusts, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

I'm kind of wishy-washy about dystopian fiction. It has to be well-written, or else I finish it feeling irritated, depressed and "the end is nigh"- ish (if that makes any sense). Also, when it comes to stories like Wither, Matched and Delirium - which I did read the other day and actually liked - I feel a bit queasy about a future where finding your ideal mate is all anyone thinks about. Surely humanity can't be that shallow?

But I digress.

I've been reading up on Wither via Goodreads, Amazon and the like, and there seems to be mixed ratings. The polygamy aspect of it especially is making me a little uneasy. Can anyone tell me if this is worth reading, or if I should just give it a pass?

What Say You Saturday is a weekly meme hosted by Ren's Rambles. Check out the host blog for more details. I highly recommend participating.

(Thanks Mickey @ I'm A Book Shark! Without her post, I wouldn't have been able to jump in.)

In My (Crate) Mailbox {1}

Yeah, so you might be wondering what's going on with the whole "crate" thing. Well, I got a little tired of constantly having to pile up my books underneath my chair (because I don't usually bother with storage after I've finally unloaded the particular read I want and started...well, reading it) so I converted a Trader Joe's crate into a nifty little inbox for all my latest titles.

Cool, no?

from around the world arc tours.

marissa meyer. cinder.

already completed! see the (rave) review here.

from the local library.

 alison goodman. eona: the last dragoneye.

sequel to eon (which i still need to review) and it looks pretty awesome!

leigh fallon. carrier of the mark.

 first on the list (i love my librarians). i'm approaching this one with...i don't want to say a biased opinion, but i'm still a little perplexed with inkpop's seemingly double standards on picking an adult author from a site for teen writers. ah, well. she seems nice.

suzanne harper. the juliet club.

it looks very chick-flicky (ie. not my type of read) but a lot of my friends have recommended this, and i've been surprised so many times recently that why not?

maggie stiefvater. the scorpio races.

 you have no idea how long i've been waiting for this. <3 maggie stiefvater.

alyxandra harvey. haunting violet.

this looks awesome (though, as seems to be a trend with ms. harvey's books, the cover really creeps me out). i really like the whole fake medium aspect, though.

janet lee carey. dragon's keep.

recommended by a friend - and the cover is intriguing.
 

julie halpern. into the wild nerd yonder.

this looks cute. and i am lacking cute in my reads recently. also, i'm very proud of being a nerd. are you?

 via netgalley. 

lia habel. dearly, departed.

complete. i'll hold my tongue until the review, though.

robin bridges. the gathering storm (katerina trilogy, #1)

in progress.

jaclyn dolamore. between the sea and sky.

 i loved magic under stone, so i'm really eager to start this.

leanna renee hieber. darker still (magic most foul, #1)

this was my WoW a few months back. happy to finally get my hands on it.

I have a ton more on there, but I just gave the basic line-up of what I'm currently reading. What's In Your Mailbox this week?

TGIF! {1}

Q. TBRs - How big is your pile? Which book keeps getting pushed down the stack, but you keep meaning to read it?

Oh, gosh. I knew this question would come to haunt me someday. At least, I can be happy to admit that my pile has (recently) become organized. I'm currently using a crate on the side of my working table to keep all my library books in - pretty much the bulk of my reading supply.

At the moment, since yesterday was my shelf-foraging day (I kid you not, I act like a hunter when it comes to searching for new books. I think I might have scared my YA librarian into making sure the new additions are always where I can see them - or else), I have a total of eight books in the pile. Really, though, they're all so thick that it looks much worse. Next time, I ought to take a picture.

Of course, I also have two giveaway books - and another three on the way - that will need to be accounted for, and at least ten NetGalley copies on my Kindle that I haven't even touched. And if you add all those overdue reviews from this summer to the picture...

*sighs* I'd better go and start writing a few so I can at least be caught up before I turn eighty.

A book that keeps getting pushed down the stack? Well, as a rule, I usually put aside books that our library had for a while, and any books that are sent to me as winnings, which means that I own it and thus it can gather dust until a rainy day slash hurricane slash apocalyptic event when I cannot make it to the library - read: never.

Right now, that's Juliet by Anne Fortier (from Random Buzzers) and The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, vol. III by Diana Wynne Jones (library copy that's a gazillion years old and is always on the shelf, but I can't seem to bear parting with it).

Well, now you know all my deep, dark, disorganized secrets. I'm off to straighten up the pile a little and make it look like less of a Mount Everest.

Follow Friday and TGIF (81911)

Q. If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

Well. Confession time. As a writer, I'm pretty sure every character I've written to date has at least a smidgen of my personality somewhere within their inky veins. Most of the time, it manifests in a constant supply of big brothers (I always wanted a big brother, but being the eldest in the family - and a girl - you can see that never really happened), or sometimes a heroine that makes her male adversaries break down and start trembling at the knees.

Yeah. I'm not boasting or anything, but have you ever seen that button that reads "I make boys cry"? That's me. In real life. Totally true story.

That being said, to really put specifics to this question, I think I'd most like to be my main character in my newest work-in-progress (which is the one that I really want to query, fingers crossed!) She's fiery, she's beautiful, and she's got...bottoms...to kick and names to take.

Alright. That's my over-share for the day.

Have you ever read a book and not wanted to review it? Are some books too personal that we want to keep our thoughts our own?

Okay, here's the thing. When I don't want to review a book, it usually means that it was too disappointing, or not my cup of tea, or confusing (read: I HATED IT) and I don't know what to say without having a league of irritated fans chasing me down with pitchforks and razor-sharp comments.

(Prime example: my review of Ashfall. If you don't know what happened there, I won't be the one to fill you in. Suffice it to say that when I hate a book, it's probably better for all involved that I keep silent.)

If I really love a book, I will try my best to get that love out there. Often, I won't be able to find the right words to say about it ("Um, there was this part where she just...and then he...yeah, it was awesome") but sometimes you just have to let those emotions out without knowing how you're going to be able to express them.

Coming up from Kaye!

As you can see, the blog has been neglected for a bit, and for that I apologize. The reality of the matter is that Ramadan started and I usually don't read during that period because when I read fiction I go into this other world and thinking about unicorns and dashing heroes in leather jackets doesn't really go with religious fasting and thinking of those who don't have what we do.

Whew. That was a lot.

Anyways, I should be tip-top and back on schedule with a TON of new reviews and such around the 30th (which is when Ramadan ends). In the meantime, you'll probably see me around on Twitter, or entering hundreds of giveaways I haven't a prayer of winning. 

(Speaking of giveaways, the Maryrose Wood giveaway is still open and running. Keep that in mind if you're looking to win some total awesomeness.)

And the renovation, you ask?

To be honest, I'm not sure anymore whether a complete overhaul is necessary, or if I just need a little housekeeping. We'll have to see how it goes. 

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Jewel and the Key

The Jewel and the Key
Louise Spiegler
August 29, 2011

An earthquake and the discovery of a mysterious antique mirror unleash forces that jolt sixteen-year-old Addie McNeal back to 1917 Seattle, just as the United States is entering World War I. Addie finds herself shuttling back and forth between past and present, drawn in both times to the grand Jewel Theater. In both decades the existence of the Jewel is threatened and war is looming . . . and someone she cares about is determined to fight.

Eventually, Addie realizes that only she has the key to saving the Jewel—and the lives of her friends. But will she figure out how to manipulate the intricately woven threads of time and truly set things right?
 
Alright, I'm kinda sitting on the fence with this one, as GoodReads and Amazon contradict on publishing dates (GoodReads claims it's already been released for a month, and Amazon is requesting pre-orders). Eh, I'll go with the book distributors. I think they know what they're talking about.

In any case, I am loving all these stories about time travel recently. Historical fiction with just the right dash of contemporary - now that's what I'm talking about.

(By the way, this title also features on the wish-list I am currently whipping up for this month's RAK. Just saying...)

Back to the renovation designs!

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information, please check out the hosting blog.

Book Blogger Hop! (72111)

 Click here to see who else is hopping!


What's the ONE GENRE that you wish you could get into, but just can't?

Hm, this is actually a tricky one. I think to narrow it all down into one answer, I'd have to say contemporary. Maybe I'm an ostrich, but I hate reading about current issues and drama that you experience for yourself 24/7 (child abuse. divorce. teenage angst.) when there are more fantastical lands to discover and imaginative language to savor.

If you really want to go nit-picking, I'd say that I can't get into any book that overloads on the romance - mainly a lot of the current paranormal and dystopian bestsellers (like Matched. Please forgive me, but that premise is just too...sappy for me).

Follow Friday (72111)

Q. Name three authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

Well, I actually experienced this earlier in the year with Anna Godberson (a private volunteer's-only breakfast before Authors Unlimited!), but it wasn't what I was expecting.

Sooo...

One author I can definitely say off the top of my head is Laini Taylor, because a) as I said before I think that pink hair on her head is the sign of an awesome person, and b) I just love the poetic way she writes, especially in Spicy Little Curses Such as These. *sighs* India and a fairy tale. Positively gorgeous.

Okay, who else? I'd love to meet Gail Carson Levine, because Ella has always been one of my childhood heroines, and she wrote in a way that touched my brave, needy little nine-year-old heart. So yeah. Even if I just got to hug her and blurt out like three questions about her writing process, I'd be completely satisfied.

Last one...well, I might fudge it and add two more...but then I'll stop and be good, I promise! I would've loved to meet and talk with Diana Wynne Jones, but, well, there's no way I could do that anymore, unless I believed in Spiritualism (which I don't). So, probably, Meg Cabot, simply because she writes super fast and I want to know HOW DO YOU DO THAT?! and she's pretty much written a title in every genre and that's something I aspire towards.

Okay. The last two I'm not supposed to add (but really want to). Gah. Forgive me.

Ally Carter. *insert squeal* To me, Ally is the queen of kicking bottom and taking names and positive feel good about yourself girl power - which, to be honest, there is a disappointing lack of in today's YA market. I'd love to sit next to her and watch her write and hope it rubs off onto me because seriously, she is amazing.

Neil Gaiman. Let's face it, the guy is good. Really good. He's like the greatest author of the 21st century. I'd just like to hear his experiences and dream of someday getting good at what I do.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Darker Still (Magice Most Foul, #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber

Darker Still
Leanna Renee Hieber
November 1, 2011

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1880. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

Today, it was so hard for me to pick out just one upcoming release to feature, but this I think combines it all: my love of historical fiction, a twist on a spine-tingling classic, and a touch of supernatural to keep things alive. I'm just hoping that the actual volume delivers.

(And a little side-note, Jonathan is also another of those boys' names that I really think is awesome for a character. So right now, we have Jonathan and Nathaniel. And incidentally, I also adore the name Natalie for a girl. So what do you think? What are your favorite names for characters?)

In My Mailbox {1}: Weekend Haul Edition!

So usually I do my library trips on Monday, and then spend the rest of the week with my nose in a book/typing furiously away at whatever inspiration hits me. But, today my mother actually consented to visit the library with me (miracle of miracles, as usually she opts to sit in the car and comes in only when it's time to pull me away from the stacks, kicking and screaming as I go...but that's another story), so I'm starting my weekend with a fresh dose of my (very much legal and encouraged) addiction.

Also, a bit of a funny story from today's library trip. When I'm in the library, I'm literally deaf and dumb to any other person attempting to talk to me, or rather talk at me. I submerged myself in the YA section for pretty much the whole trip. I might have accidentally blown off the reference librarian when she tried to say hi - um, oops. (She's probably used to it by now) I emerged, panting and triumphant, with my treasure horde, and the librarian at the circulation desk remarked, "God, you're like a kid in a candy store."

My response was typical of any extreme bibliophile: "I know. Isn't it wonderful?"

She just shook her head. I think they know enough of me by now to know that I'm a hopeless case.

Seeing as this is a weekend edition, I am being understandably lazy and/or ridiculously lax in adding appropriate cover art. Please pardon me, and look, I did add GoodReads links. That's good, right? Not too hopeless yet.
 

Library

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

Firebirds, edited by Sharyn November

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

The Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

NetGalley

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

E-Books (via library circulation)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Dark City by Catherine Fisher

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Heist Society by Ally Carter (re-read)

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Immortal by Gillian Shields

Now, not counting the e-books, who's willing to bet that I can finish at least half the library books before Friday...Anyone, anyone?

**Edited July 10** Wow, didn't realize how long my rambling was at the top. Maybe I should just vlog next time, yes?