Small Review

Discussion: The Dark Side of Blogging

2012-01-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

Last discussion post we talked about envy, an emotion that most newbies (and even established bloggers) will feel at some point. Since I don't like being a downer, we also talked about solutions.

Today I'd like to talk about three things most bloggers will encounter eventually. In the spirit of staying up beat, I'd also like to discuss how to stay positive in the face of these situations. Of course there are MANY different ways to respond to these situations and there is no one right answer. I'm sharing how *I* would respond, and I hope you will share in the comments how YOU would respond!

By laying out some of the pitfalls now, I hope to help newbies (and established bloggers who have been lucky enough to avoid these dips!) prepare themselves for these situations so they won't be caught off guard.

Because the thing is, there ARE downsides to blogging, but they're manageable. I promise.

Someone plagiarized my blog!

Yes, it happens. It has happened to me (it is likely STILL happening to me) and it may happen to you.

Here are a few excellent posts written by other bloggers about plagiarism, what constitutes plagiarism (yes paraphrasing IS plagiarism!), how it feels to be plagiarized, and what to do if you've been plagiarized:

They've done a fantastic job covering the ins and outs of what IS plagiarism, so I'm going to focus on the emotional side of things.

Having your work plagiarized is upsetting. It hurts and it kills the motivation to continue blogging like nothing else. For weeks after I found out my work was being plagiarized, I couldn't bring myself to write a single word (here's another example of why scheduling your posts in advance is wonderful.)

I couldn't shake the depressing thoughts of "Why bother? Someone is just going to take it, replace a few of my words with some synonyms, and pass it off as theirs."

It's hard to get past that, and honestly, I STILL struggle with this. The reality is that your work is always at risk of being plagiarized. To get back into writing, I needed to remind myself why I blog.

I feel great whenever I get comments and positive feedback. I have gained friends who brighten my life. I feel good when I introduce someone to a book they then read and enjoy. I love talking about books with fellow bookworms. I gain internal satisfaction from the pride of knowing I have produced written content, stuck with and nurtured a hobby, and continued to persevere even when I have encountered bumps in the road.

No amount of plagiarism can take any of that away. If your work has been stolen and you're having trouble finding the motivation to blog again, try to remind yourself of the positive side of blogging.

Authors Behaving Badly

Unless you post nothing but absolutely glowing reviews, it is likely that, at some point, your review will upset an author and they will publicly discuss it. Maybe the author is straight up immature. Maybe the author read your review when they were already having a really bad day. There are a million reasons, but the result is the same: Public confrontation.

How you handle it is a personal decision, but this is what I say to myself:

When this happens, recognize that you are probably dealing with someone whose feelings have been hurt and they are lashing out with all of that emotion and pain. Those emotions are natural and understandable and it is important to remember that. It is equally important to remember that this is no excuse for bringing those feelings to a public forum.

Likewise, YOU will be emotional and hurt if an author criticizes you. Recognize your emotions, but do not allow them to dictate your actions. This is what the author should have done, but they didn't and the result wasn't pretty, was it? Don't make the situation worse by adding your own emotional response to the mix.

Maintain your professionalism.You cannot control the author's actions, but you can control your own response.

On your blog, you do have the option to delete offending posts. It is a good idea to make a note of what types of posts you will delete either on a policy page or in a customized comment form message. This can be a good approach to help avoid conflict on your blog and prevent anyone from (further) losing face.

If you choose to respond, be polite and do not argue with or engage in the specifics of their comment. Settle on agreeing to disagree and then wish them and their book the best. Leave it at that and move on.

If the criticized post is the result of a book you received for review, then you can direct the author to your review policy. Make sure your policy clearly states how you handle reviews for books you do not like and books you do not finish (and make sure your reviews adhere to this policy!). By providing a book for review, the author/publisher is agreeing to work with your policy.

Is this the pushover approach? Maybe. But, for me, it's also the approach that saves me from a boat load of drama, headaches, disappointments, and hurt feelings. I can't stop an author from getting upset and lashing out, but I have far too many books to chat about to waste my time on negative drama. I want Small Review to be a happy, welcoming place and I will always strive to keep it that way.

Oh, oh no

Have you ever misspelled an author's name? How about the title of their book? Or, oh gosh, have you ever sent the wrong review/email/request to the wrong author/publisher?

*cringe* I have. The thing is, we all make mistakes, and if you blog long enough, odds are you will make a mistake like this at some point. There's no getting around the fact that this is mortifying, but it also isn't the end of the world.

Again, authors are people, and since you are a person too, try thinking about how you would feel if this happened to you. What would you want the person to do to fix the mistake? Would you want an apology? Would you want the mistake corrected? Would you want to be assured that they do in fact care enough about you to make sure they get your name right?

Do what YOU would want done. Do what would make YOU feel better.

Plus, it's not like you would blacklist someone forever and ever if they made a mistake about your name, especially if they made an effort to fix that mistake, right?

What do you think are the dark sides of blogging?
How do you address them?
Have any of these situations happened to you?
Do you have any advice on how to handle them?

Tips & Tricks: Q & A Edition 3

2012-01-26T00:01:00.001-05:00

What You Will Learn

A few weeks before Busting the Newbie Blues and Busting the Big Blogger Blues went live, Ruby and I posted up a question form. Readers were encouraged to write whatever newbie or oldie questions they had about blogging.

We've addressed many of these questions throughout our events, but there were a few questions that we either couldn't fit in anywhere else or didn't need an entire post devoted to them. So that's where this post comes in.

If you feel your question still hasn't been answered, please ask again in the comments!

If you have a question you would like answered in a future Tips & Tricks post, I would love it if you filled out THIS FORM. Tips & Tricks posts go up once a month, so it may take a little while for me to get to your question, but I promise you I WILL answer.

Let's Do This!

How do you add originality to your blog? How do you take ideas from other blogs without seeming unoriginal or copying?

The best piece of advice I can think of is to say look at yourself, not everyone else. YOUR voice is what will bring originality to your blog. Let your personality shine through and your blog will be uniquely yours.

But what about features? Memes? Honestly, I wouldn't worry about them. When answering the Busting the Newbie Blues questionnaires, you know what a lot of people DIDN'T like about blogs? When they're filled with memes. You know what people DO want? Quality reviews.

Still stuck? Try this approach:

Other people can be hugely inspiring, but when you look to others for inspiration you walk a tightrope with originality on one side and plagiarism on the other. Of course you do NOT want to end up on the plagiarism side of things (and keep in mind, paraphrasing or taking an idea IS plagiarism!).

Ok, so you're not looking at anyone else now, right? Now I want you to forget about your readers for a minute. *GASP*

Yes, your readers are hugely important, but when you think about them in this context, you're probably thinking of how you can please them. Do you know what that means? PRESSURE! It's incredibly hard to be creative when you're feeling that kind of pressure.

So now you're not looking at anyone else for inspiration and you're not thinking about your readers. What do you do next?

Look in a mirror. Ask yourself, what do YOU want to see? Focus on what YOU want. When you read a review, what do YOU want to know about the book?

How about frustrations? Is there anything that you as a reader and a blogger experience that frustrates you? A problem you've faced? How can you fix that problem? For me, my latest feature was born out of a need for book recommendations.

Once you've brainstormed some ideas, search around a little and see if anyone else is doing something similar. If no one is, then wonderful!

If they are, then no worries. Sure, maybe you'll scrap that idea, but you have discovered that someone is doing something you wanted. Even if it's a loss for the "original idea" category, discovering their feature is still a win for you.

Now get back to that mirror and think of another idea. Or don't. I said this earlier in my discussion post but it bears repeating:

When the muse is out on extended vacation, embrace the basics. There is nothing wrong with a review blog with nothing but reviews. You do not have to be the NEXT BIG THING to offer something of value.

How do you get your heading banner thing to become centered on your blog? Mine isn't.

This probably has to do with your code. I'm not sure what's going on, but try looking in your code for words like "Header," "Align," and "Padding." Maybe your padding is set unevenly? Or your align isn't set for center? I'm sorry I can't be more helpful!

How, in comments, do you link your site so people commenting can check it out?

That is called anchor text, and it is fantastically useful! Check out my Tips & Tricks post called How to Make Anchor Text to learn how. Let me know if you have any trouble with it.

I've been trying to link up my Word97 to make it easier to post but it's just not working. I just love how other bloggers have these neat nice rating images and boxes in their post. I'm so not good with design.

Hm, I'm not sure what you mean about linking up Word97. I will say though, that when it comes to blogging DO NOT use Microsoft Word if at all possible (it took me a while to figure this out). Microsoft Word adds all kinds of extra code that could mess up your formatting and potentially cause errors. See:

Click to see in all it's awesomely bad glory

This is a blog post after I copied it from Microsoft Word. See the arrows? See all that green text? It goes on for almost THREE HUNDRED LINES OF CODE. It is entirely useless and is only there because Microsoft Word wants to be the bane of a blogger's existence.

Every time someone tries to view your post, their browser needs to read every line of code you have written. Look at all that useless code! Sloppy, sloppy.

Click to make larger

Ah, THAT is what I wanted! See how neat and clean it is? See how I couldn't even fit the whole blog post in one screen cap when it was copied from Microsoft Word, but in reality MY work only takes up five tidy little lines? MUCH better.

I highly recommend Notepad or Notepad++.(which is the program I've used to show my code in both of those pictures). Personally, I write all of my blog posts in Notepad++ because it does code highlighting (this is what makes the text different colors, and I am a color coding fanatic).

As for the rating images, I love them too! You can try sites like All Silhouettes or All Vectors to get an image you like for your ratings. You can crop the images using a program like Paint or something more advanced like Photoshop or Gimp (free).

By boxes, if you mean colored boxes, I have a tutorial called How to Make Colored Boxes that explains how you make them. I hope that helps!

And don't worry if you're not good at design. You'll learn! A lot of design is much easier than it seems at first. It's easy to be overwhelmed by design, but if you try to learn things in bite sized baby steps, it's a lot less intimidating. Also remember, a neat and easy to navigate blog is far more important than pretty graphics.

Click here to make a request for a future Tips & Tricks post.

The form is anonymous, so please don't feel shy at all!

I'm certainly not an expert, but I'll try my hardest to explain what I do know and research what I don't know.

Click here to read previous Tips & Tricks Posts

WoW (41): Abby Grahame, Cassandra Golds

2012-01-25T00:01:00.003-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we all feature upcoming books we're eagerly anticipating.

I've altered things a little to include one book that hasn't come out yet and one that has already been published but I still haven't gotten around to reading yet.

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
(May 1, 2012)

From Goodreads:

The Darlington family is among Edwardian Britain’s most revered, but underneath this façade of respectability hides secrets that could mean their ruin. Lord and Lady Darlington’s seat at Wentworth Hall is one of England’s oldest estates, but the servants have been whispering about the lack of hands (and funds) for the upkeep of the grand manor.

Are the Darlingtons hoping to find 18-year-old Maggie a wealthy husband? Is that why newly moneyed Teddy Fitzhugh, whose father recently drowned in the sinking of the Titanic, has been invited to stay? His visit-and the complete change in Maggie’s personality since her return from a year abroad in France-gives the ever-curious staff even more reason to gossip than usual.

When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details suspiciously similar to the goings on of Wentworth Hall, the Darlingtons are determined to keep their secrets to themselves and their affairs (both private and public) in order. And the first order of business is finding the culprit. But where to start? Downstairs among the staff? Or should the Darlingtons look even closer to home . . .

Why I want to read it:

Because I LOVE historical fiction. And gossip. And secrets. And mysteries. I can't wait!

The Three Loves of Persimmon by Cassandra Golds
(April 24, 2012)

From Goodreads:

Persimmon Polidori is a fine young lady, but within her is a rebel. She must follow her heart's desire, even if it means her family will reject her for the choices she makes. These choices bring her adventure and a world she never knew existed - they also bring her loneliness...

Along the way, Persimmon undergoes the trials of love, heartbreak, doubt and the discovery of her own true value.

And she does it with the aid of a tiny, brave creature named Epiphany.

Why I want to read it:

Ok, so I'm not really feeling that cover, but I DO like the sound of the story. Persimmon sounds fun with best friend potential. I also like how the story sounds like it will be heartwarming with a sweet romance (but, heartbreak? Oh no!) and adventure. Plus, who--or what--is this tiny, brave creature named Epiphany? I am curious.

Have any of you read either of these books? Would you recommend them?

Join the fun!

Ever feel blue when it comes to blogging? Ever wish you could network your blog more, gain more followers, get ARCs, or learn more about the ins and outs of YA book blogging?

Check out Busting the Newbie Blues!

New bloggers ask their blogging questions, old bloggers help answer them! A casual event for the YA book blogging community.

Are you an established blogger? Come share you advice with newbies, or check out Ruby's Busting the Big Blogger Blues event!

Book Review: Borrowing Abby Grace by Kelly Green

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Borrowing Abby Grace series by Kelly Green
Release Date: October 2011 - December 2011
Publisher: Backlit Fiction
Pages: ~50 pages per episode
Received: Review copies of episodes 1 & 2 from author
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary

From Goodreads:

Smart and sassy Abby Grace is a seventeen-year-old with a talent for getting out of trouble. Sent to repair the lives and loves of teenagers on the edge of disaster, Abby is the perfect girl for the job. She has everything going for her… except one thing: a body.

This fast-paced and exciting episode is the first installment in an ongoing mystery series with a supernatural twist.

Review

This review is for the first two episodes in the series.

Here's the deal

This is the first time I've read a book published in episodes, but it is very similar to reading a novel serialized in magazines. Each episode is approximately 50 pages long, so it's entirely doable to read an episode in a single sitting. For a person like myself who lately is always struggling to find time to read, I really appreciated this format.

Each episode had a self-contained mystery as well as clues to the overarching mystery of Abby's out-of-body predicament. The self-contained mysteries easily kept my interest. The situations were creatively drawn and clues were fed at a perfect pace to both keep me on my toes and let me feel engaged in solving the puzzles alongside Abby.

By the end of each episode, the central mystery has been solved and Abby is a few steps closer to figuring out why and how she ended up in the body-swapping business.

Abby's got The Voice

When Kelly Green first sent me a review pitch, I almost declined because 1) I'm not accepting e-books at this time, and 2) I'm not accepting indie books. So why did I agree to review the Borrowing Abby Grace series?

Because I fell in love with Abby's voice. The premise of the story also caught my eye (body swapping to solve mysteries? Score!), but it was Abby who cinched the deal for me. I read the first few pages and knew I had to spend more time with this girl.

Abby is that type of hilarious character who is always coming up with amusing inner commentary on her situation. That she routinely finds herself thrown into some unknown person's body (where she needs to not only convincingly act like she IS that person, but also figure out the problem they're facing AND solve that problem), makes for a lot of opportunities for Abby's humor to shine.

Other things I liked:

-The budding maybe-friendship-maybe-more relationship Abby has going on with her enigmatic guide Will.

-The enigmatic guide Will. What time period is he from? Who is he? WHAT is he? What is his connection to Abby? I love it!

-Abby's attempts at blending in. Whether it's time travel, body swapping, or some other cause, I never get tired of watching the "I've got this, I can totally blend in...even though I have NO clue what is going on here" premise in action.

-The mini-mysteries were sweet. I aawww-ed.

Is this format for me?

I'm intrigued by this format, but I'm not entirely on board as a customer. First off, I don't have an e-reader, so I'm not really an e-format purchaser. I am also an extremely impatient person who likes to sit down and read the WHOLE story at once, so this format isn't really made for people like me.

I'm not sure that I would buy individual episodes, but I would totally buy a print bind-up of the whole Borrowing Abby Grace series. In fact, I'm crossing my fingers that it comes out in a print bind-up edition someday because I want to both own it myself AND buy a copy for my library kids.

Bottom line

I'm hooked. Kelly Green has accomplished what every series author should strive for: She's hooked me with the strength of her writing instead of relying on feeding me an incompete story.

Sure I'm totally dying to find out what happened to Abby's body (is she dead? in a coma? a paranormal creature? I NEED TO KNOW!), but my main reason for wanting more is because this series is straight up fun. I enjoy it, and I know that I'm going to have a fun reading experience every time I pick up another episode.

The subject matter and situations Abby finds herself in are pretty much in the MG/YA crossover spectrum. Abby does go to a party where characters engage in underage drinking and sex is talked about and implied, but nothing is racier than what teens and (often tweens) watch on TV or in movies (think something like Gossip Girl or 10 Things I Hate About You).

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key

Do you have any questions about Borrowing Abby Grace that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

Add the Borrowing Abby Grace series on Goodreads
Buy the Borrowing Abby Grace series

Looking for another book like this?

You might like:

Click on the covers to go to Goodreads.

Book Review: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

2012-01-23T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
Release Date: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 400
Received: ARC from publisher
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Summary

From Goodreads:

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.
The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Review

Four things I want out of an historical fantasy,
and where The Gathering Storm went wrong for me

1. I want to feel like I'm there

I was really looking forward to immersing myself in Tsarist Russia and living and breathing the Russian court and culture, but sadly, this didn't happen. Aside from the traditional Russian naming conventions used*, I would have assumed the setting was England and the characters were all British.

*(Talk about a mouthful! The inclusion of traditional Russian naming conventions is a great way to pad a book with an extra 50 pages!)

2. I want a main character of her time, but interesting

One of the reasons I love historical fantasy is because it allows for more interesting female roles than in straight-up historical fiction. I was totally on board with the idea of Katerina as a necromancer.

But reading about Katerina the duchess who wants to be a doctor? Eeeeh, I'm having a MUCH harder time buying that.

It's not that I'm against women doctors or the idea of a woman bucking society's expectations (Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman fangirl, right here!), but I just couldn't believe that a duchess of that time period would be willing to throw everything away to become a doctor.

And keep in mind, being a doctor wasn't a glamorous job then. Being a doctor was a perfectly acceptable career...for someone in the middle class. That Katerina was so brazenly gung-ho about it didn't ring true to me at all and made her seem spoiled and naive.

(Plus, I straight up didn't like her)

Katerina seriously irritated me. She constantly contradicted herself by saying one thing and then doing something that completely undermined what she said.

She never really acted like she wanted to be a doctor. Sure she talked about it a lot, but when actually placed in a situation where she could whip out her doctor hat, she seemed uncomfortable and clueless. Her crowning moment was squeamishly tying on a bandage. Forgive me if I'm unimpressed.

Katerina pulled this "talk the talk, but not walk the walk" when it came to learning about her necromancy powers, too. She said she needed to learn more (and oh boy is THAT an understatement!), but she then spurned almost every opportunity she was presented with.

She pooh-poohed advice given to her to protect herself from magical threats because she refused to believe those threats could possibly exist. You're a necromancer, honey! Why is it such a stretch to believe Bad Magical People exist too? Her actions made zero sense to me, and yet I'm somehow supposed to buy that she's a smart cookie? I'm having trouble making the connection.

Rejecting princess-ness and knocking everyone who enjoyed such things wasn't winning her any points with me either. I like balls and princesses and girly things like that. I'm also uncomfortable with people who elevate themselves by putting down others, and so I couldn't get on board with Katerina's constant scorning and belittling of her peers.

3. I want a smooth integration of magical elements

The magical elements in some historical fantasies are integrated so well that I have to remind myself that the magical parts are not actually based on fact. That wasn't the case here.

I was totally confused about the rules of The Gathering Storm's magical elements. Because the book is narrated by Katerina and she flat out refused to learn anything about the paranormal creatures, the rules surrounding them were extremely vague. The who, what, where, when, why, and how of it all seemed muddy and inconsistent.

For example, there were vampires, witches, necromancers, and a host of other paranormal creatures, and at some points it seemed like they were all "out" in society. But then other times it seemed like they were a big secret and the vast majority of people had no clue they existed. And if they found out, there would be DIRE consequences. So, um, which is it? I'm very confused.

4. I want it to be more exciting than my history textbook

I was bogged down by the slow pacing and the endless balls that seemed to serve no purpose to the overall plot (and I usually like balls). My inner child even piped up a few times to whine "Are we there yet??" I suspect The Gathering Storm has come down with a serious case of series stretching.

Writing style. I REALLY noticed.

The Grand Duchess and the Grand Duchess enter a room, and then the Grand Duchess leaves.

When I wasn't tripping over all of the Katerina Alexandrovnas I was thoroughly confused with the over-used vague titles.

If a story has more than one Grand Duchess or Grand Duke etc, then I don't recommend referring to all of them by their title instead of their name. That applies doubly when they're all present at the same time.

This also really didn't help establish the characters as individuals, especially given their personalities were so sparsely developed.

Editing errors

As if I wasn't already confused enough, editing inconsistencies threw me for a loop. At one point Katerina is wearing a ring on a necklace, but a few sentences later the ring has magically appeared on her finger! A character who knows nothing of the paranormal suddenly does! This sort of thing occurred a lot.

Full disclosure though, I did read an ARC, so many of those inconsistencies may have been corrected in the final version.

Will I read the sequel?

No. I am a little curious about the plot because there were some interesting bits there, but I don't think I could put up with Katerina much more. The writing and editing left too much to be desired and I'm not going to muddle through it again.

Do I recommend it?

That depends. Even if the writing improved, I still personally wouldn't like Katerina and the lack of realism. BUT, readers who enjoyed Jennifer Bradbury's Wrapped might not mind this at all. I had similar complaints about Agnes in Wrapped and I know a lot of people loved her and didn't mind the historical stretches.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key

Do you have any questions about The Gathering Storm that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

Add this book on Goodreads
Buy The Gathering Storm

Looking for another book like this?

You might like:

Click on the covers to go to my reviews.

In My Mailbox (31)

2012-01-22T00:01:00.015-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme started by Kristi at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea of Pop Culture Junkie where we get to post about the books we receive each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests won, and libraries.

This mailbox is for the past two weeks.

Click here to see my previous mailboxes.

For Review

In an effort to dispel some of the mystery surrounding the acquisition of ARCs, I include how these books came to me. My hope is that these explanations will help other bloggers navigate the world of ARCs and learn how to get copies too.

Click picture to make larger

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

I first heard about this book from Heather at Buried in Books, who alerted me because she knows how much I adore fractured fairy tales! This fractured tale tackles Prince Charming in ways you've never imagined. I peeked at the first chapter and was already laughing out loud. I can't wait to dive in!

This book is published by Walden Pond Press (an imprint of HarperCollins), so when I received an email request about reviewing The Fourth Stall Part II (another WPP book and SO good!), I inquired about The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. Wonderfully, it appeared in my mailbox as a Happy New Year gift!

Athena the Wise (Goddess Girls #5)
Artemis the Loyal (Goddess Girls #7)
Aphrodite the Diva (Goddess Girls #6)
All by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Joan Holub asked if I would be interested in reviewing the latest Goddess Girls books, and I jumped at the chance! I adore these books...that is, when I can actually get my hands on a copy! They're in constant circulation with my library girls. The squees on Goddess Girls release days are EPIC. They are MG books, but I highly recommend them to all fans of Greek myth retellings!

Click picture to make larger

A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont

Eve stopped by Small Review during the Historical Fantasy Jubilee and I've been dying to read her book ever since! (Seriously, getting sucked into the pages of Jane Eyre AND there's a cute guy with a haunted past?? SIGN ME UP!) We spoke again recently about setting up something fun for release day and Eve sent me an ARC and some swag. You'll find out more about that fun in March!

Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

I received an email asking if I would be interested in reviewing this book and, after reading the blurb and watching the video trailer, I was totally hooked! I know I don't often read contemporary, but I have a soft spot for contemporary underdog books with a funny twist, so Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters sounds perfect.

Fetching by Kiera Stewart

I first received a copy of this through NetGalley, but it expired before I got a chance to download it. I was totally bummed, so I emailed the publisher through NetGalley and asked if there was any chance of reading it even though it had been archived. The contact was super sweet and offered to send a finished copy for review.

Fetching arrived a few days ago and after peeking at the first chapter, I am 100% hooked. I'm SO on Olivia's side and I cannot wait to see her get revenge on the mean girls in her school. Plus, behaviorism! I'm super curious to see how Kiera Stewart integrates one of my favorite schools of psychology.

Thank you Walden Pond Press, Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, Eve Marie Mont, Penguin, and Disney-Hyperion!

What did you get this week? Has anyone read any of these books yet? Did you like them?
Feel free to comment with links to your mailboxes or your reviews of these books!

Join the fun!

Small Busts the Newbie Blues 2012

2012-01-21T00:01:00.007-05:00

Busting the Newbie Blues is an annual event designed to help new YA book bloggers network with one another and share blogging experiences with other newbie and established bloggers. This event is running throughout the entire month of January. Want to join in? Click here to learn more!

1. When did you start your blog?

I started putting things together in October 2010, but it went "live" in November 2010.

2. Do you ever still feel like a newbie?

All the time, and not so much. I'm a shy person and I live under a really big rock, so I feel like I'm always struggling with blogger etiquette and keeping up with social trends.

I pretty much don't even try to "break news" like cover reveals or new book announcements because I'm just not hip enough to compete in that arena. And that's ok. I feel like I've found my own groove when it comes to blogging, and in that regard I don't feel like a newbie anymore.

I do feel like a complete newbie when I talk with authors, publishers, or big bloggers. I pretty much have a running commentary of "They're talking to ME? ME?? Yay! Oh my word, they're talking to me. WHAT DO I SAY??? Oh great, I sound like an idiot."

3. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?

Probably time management. I'm a "more is more" kind of person, and I've let that mentality slip into my blogging life, for better and for worse. For most of my first year I was posting every day with two reviews per week. That worked for a while, but lately life has gotten busier and I don't think I'll be able to keep up with such a rigorous schedule.

The biggest mistake I made with this was thinking I couldn't deviate from my schedule. I super stressed trying to get everything done, and then I stressed even more over the idea of reducing my schedule. Part of me fears that everyone will abandon me and I'll be letting everyone down by posting less.

But the reality is, many of my favorite blogs do not post every day. And, honestly, if they have a schedule, I haven't kept track. I read them because I enjoy them, and it really doesn't factor in at all whether or not they stick to a schedule or post every day.

In fact, I'm almost relieved when people DON'T post every day because I find it hard to keep up with all of the feeds in my reader. I ended up skipping past posts I wanted to read because I just didn't have time to read them. I need to remember that sometimes less is more.

4. What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? How did you deal with this?

Statistics. I am a statistics junky, so I pretty much obsessed over my stats for the first, well, for a lot longer than I should have. I compared myself to other bloggers and set monthly goals for all sorts of things.

I dealt with this in two ways. One, I started Busting the Newbie Blues. I was way too shy to start commenting on the big blogs, so I sought out other newbies like myself. I ended up meeting a lot of bloggers who have become good friends and it really helped to know that other people were feeling the same things I was feeling. Plus, I'm not going to lie, the followers boost felt pretty awesome and gave me encouragement at a time when I really needed it.

The second way I dealt with it was to CHILL OUT. This was very hard, and I still struggle with it, but I needed to ignore my stats and take a chill pill. Life goes on, even when my pageviews dip (like over the summer when kids stop Googling "What is the ending of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle??").

Plus, do you know how much time I spent worrying over and checking my stats? Do you know how many quality posts I could have written during that time? How many books I could have been reading? Spending my time on those pursuits would have been a lot more helpful toward my goal of increasing my stats than spending that time obsessing over my stats.

5. What do you find most encouraging?

SO many things. When you're feeling down about your blog, think of all the things YOU have done that have nothing to do with your stats. It can be pretty surprising.

I've done so many things I never thought I could or would do. I've hosted and co-hosted three events, contacted authors and publishers, received books for review, written a LOT of reviews, thought more critically about my reading, written almost daily, created and STUCK WITH a blog for over a year.

These are all things that I DID, even if I was nervous and even if I was busy and even if I was tired. I DID them, and I'm pretty proud of that. Even if you're a tiny newbie blogger, I guarantee you can point to at least a handful of blogging accomplishments you can be proud about. Try it!

The other biggest encouragement has been all of the amazing people I've met. The people who read and comment have been like my own personal cheerleader squad. You encourage me, direct me, give me insight and feedback. Your comments pick me up when I'm feeling down. Do you realize how much you mean to me? So, so much.

6. If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?

Do what you CAN do and don't stress about the rest.
STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR STATS.
You CAN take a break. No one will abandon you. (People will even tell you they miss you!)
Deviate from your schedule if you want! No one cares as much about your schedule as you do.
Don't let blogging take over your life!

(Are you sensing the "more is more" problem I have?)

7. What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

I love blogs where I feel like I know the blogger--their personality shines through in everything they do. I gravitate toward nicer, happier people. The kind of people who reach out instead of shut out. I don't feel comfortable around mean or cliquish people.

It is very important to me that people feel comfortable on my blog. Whether we agree or disagree on a book, I don't mind at all. I hope everyone feels at ease and that they won't be judged. Everyone is welcome here (unless, well, if someone is making an effort to be mean. Or spam. Those I don't welcome so much).

I also really love it when the blogger replies to comments. I feel like their blog is ten times more welcoming and I'm a lot more likely to comment. I also like asking questions, so it's nice to know they'll be answered.

As for reviews, I love it when a reviewer lays it all out there for me. I don't want spoilers (oh please no spoilers!) or a summary of the whole plot (please no!) but I do want to know things like pacing, if a long book feels long, what the characters are like, what other books is this book like, if it has a slow start but then makes up for it later, does it have insta-love, is there a love triangle, and on and on. I also like knowing WHY they liked or disliked the book. All of this information helps me determine whether or not the book is for me.

I also like rating systems. No, scratch that, I ADORE rating systems. I'm totally lost without them. I don't like descriptive rating systems as much because my memory is horrible so it's hard for me to keep track of what they mean (is "covet" better or worse than "adore"??). But oh for the love of numbers! Show me frogs or diamonds or stars or owls--whatever. If I can count it, then I'm happy.

I try to do all of this and I hope I've succeeded (but please tell me if I haven't!).

8. What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen? Do you try to avoid this?

Negativity. Reviews that tell me nothing about the book. Reviews that are summaries. Clutter. Difficult to read fonts. Slow loads. Broken scripts. Disorganization. No review index.

Basically, I want to be able to find your posts, physically read them without hurting my eyes, and come away happy and with more information about the book than I had before.

I hope I avoid these things, but if I don't, please tell me! Really!

9. How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people?

Busting the Newbie Blues! Seriously. Outside of that, I commented a lot, registered my blog with search engines, worked on making my post titles SEO friendly, and threw myself into blogging.

10. When and how did you get your first ARC (or first few ARCs)?

ARCs for me have been a strange and inconsistent experience.

Before I started blogging, I posted reviews on Amazon and, based on that, I was able to get some e-ARCs through NetGalley. I was denied by HarperTeen (they STILL love denying my requests), but Houghton Mifflin Harcourt approved me!

Then I jumped into blogging, and after only about a month I got my first ARC from Goodreads First Reads program (and if you know much about my favorite authors, you know what a love affair THAT started for me!). I received one more ARC from them early on...and nothing since.

It's been hit or miss since then, but what I've taken away from my ARC experiences so far is this:

I am still very confused as to what criteria publishers use for determining who gets ARCs, when, and why
Getting ARCs is like feast of famine. I'll get a bunch of them, and then nothing for a while, and then another surge
I get ARCs when I least expect them
A denial does not necessarily mean there is something wrong with me
The longer I blog consistently and well, the more likely I am to be approved
Getting ARCs is like getting presents and work all rolled into one package
It's nice getting ARCs, but it's not something to stress or obsess over

What about you?

How do your experiences compare?

Have you joined in Busting the Newbie Blues yet?

How about your Big Blogger Blues?

There's still time! These events run until the end of January!

How to Get ARCs: A Step-by-Step Guide

2012-01-19T00:01:00.015-05:00

While there are a lot of questions new bloggers have, one of the most frequently asked about topics is that of ARCs or, more specifically, the acquisition of ARCs. To that end, I have compiled all of the information I have gathered regarding ARCs, how you get them, and what you should do with them once you have them.

I am by no means an expert and this post is by no means the end-all-be-all of ARCs, so if you have any additional sources or advice, please share in the comments! Also feel free to ask any questions I may not have addressed and discuss this topic with one another in the comments.

1. What are ARCs and who gets them?

The What

ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) are copies of a book that are printed up before the book goes on sale and are sent to reviewers, librarians, bookstores, and similar outlets. The purpose of ARCs is to generate early buzz and reviews, encourage purchases, and assist librarians and booksellers in deciding whether or not to purchase a particular book for their collection/stock.

ARCs are marketing tools. ARCs are actually more expensive to produce than a finished copy of a book (I'm always surprised by that!) and only a small number of ARCs are printed.

ARCs are often a little less polished than the final copy (more typos) and may be slightly different from the finished version (names, different wording of some sentences, minor rearrangement, things like that). Because of these changes, reviewers are asked to only pull direct quotes from the finished version of a book. The cover may also differ from the final version.

The Who

Bloggers get ARCs so they can post reviews and help generate buzz for the book. This works primarily as a "word of mouth" type of advertising, so bloggers who have the ability to:

Reach a large number of people, and
Provide informative reviews that will encourage book sales

are most likely to receive ARCs. Keep in mind, "encourage book sales" doesn't mean "give all 5 star reviews." A blogger encourages book sales by writing informative reviews that give readers an idea of whether or not they will like the book.

As a general rule, the "big" publishers like seeing a blog up and consistently running for around 4-6 months before the blogger requests a print ARC. You don't have to wait nearly as long to request e-ARCs (I got e-ARCs when I posted reviews on Amazon and did not even have a blog). Some indie or self-published authors will begin pitching review requests when a blogger is less than a month old.

There is also an element of chance when it comes to who gets ARCs and who does not. Remember this! I have been denied an electronic ARC only to have a print copy appear in my mailbox a few weeks later. Sometimes bloggers get added onto a publisher's mailing list without doing anything, but more often bloggers must make the first move.

It all depends on a lot of different factors (some known, some seemingly mysterious), patience, persistence, and a little random luck.

2. Where to get ARCs?

E-galleys (electronic ARCs)

E-galleys are the wave of the future! Personally, I'm pretty bummed about this because I don't have an e-reader, but I can see how much more cost effective it is for publishers to distribute ARCs this way.

If you're a new blogger, publishers are also a lot more willing to give you an e-galley than a print copy, so e-galleys are a great way for newbies to get their name on publishers' radars. Here are a few sources to get you started:

NetGalley

Each publisher has different requirements for users requesting galleys. Expiration dates for galleys vary. I have a more in-depth Tips & Tricks post coming up about NetGalley.

Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab

Register an account and, if Simon & Schuster approves you, then they will begin sending a monthly newsletter with galleys you can download. All galleys expire upon publication of the book. As far as I know, this is on temporary hiatus while they make improvements, but you might still be able to register.

Print ARCs

There are a bunch of ways you can get your hands on print ARCs, and these are only a few of them.

Publishers

When contacting publishers, look for an email address for the publicity department. If you are requesting a Young Adult title, make sure you send your request to the children's publicity contact. Here are a few links to get you started:

And here are a few catalogs for you to look through (when requesting, it's a good idea to include the Title, Author, ISBN, and release date of the book)

Other places you can find contact information:

On the back of ARCs: Usually you'll find publisher contact information on the back of printed ARCs and/or on the copyright page

Through your NetGalley emails: When NetGalley sends you an email confirming or denying your request, you can usually find the email address of the publishing contact who handled your request somewhere in the email (look for "on behalf of...")

Through your NetGalley approvals: If you are approved for an e-galley through NetGalley, sometimes there is an option to "contact the publisher" and this will provide you with an email address for the publicity contact

Authors

Authors do not receive many ARCs, but sometimes they do and are willing to send you a copy (rarely--usually their friends and family have first dibs, understandably!). Some authors will also forward your information to their publicist.

Many authors state on their site whether or not they can send you an ARC and how you should go about requesting one, so make sure you read their site carefully before you shoot them an email.

LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's Program

I don't have an account with LibraryThing, so I can't speak on it much. I have heard it is a good source, but you need to review each book you receive in order to receive more.

Goodreads First Reads

I received one of my first ARCs through this program when I was first starting out as a blogger. I've since received one more a few months later, but I haven't gotten any since.

You don't have to review these books, but you should and whether or not you review is a consideration for getting more books from them.

ARC Tours

I have only participated in a few ARC tours, but these seem like a great way to get to read ARCs. Sometimes the person putting together the tour will contact you, but more often you approach the tour host and submit an application. There are three types of ARC tours, and you should decide which ones you are comfortable participating in before you commit to any.

Tours where you get to keep the book: These are the only tours I will participate in. The pros are obvious- you get to keep the book! Not only do you get a book out of the deal, but you also don't have to pay postage or worry about short deadlines for passing on the book (though you do, of course, still need to make sure you meet the review deadline for the tour). The cons are that there are very few book tours like this offered.

Tours where you must share the book: These are the most common type of ARC tours offered. The pros are that you get to read an ARC! The cons are that you must pay postage, read the book faster, and you don't get to keep the book.

E-galley tours: These are closer to the first type of tour in pros- you get to keep the book, you generally have longer to read the book, and you don't have to worry about paying postage. The only con is if you don't have an e-reader (like me!).

You can find a great list of tour sites at Smitten With Books (as well as other ARC information). The two tour hosts I have worked with in the past are Kismet Book Touring and Premier Virtual Author Book Tours. I had positive experiences with both.

Amazon Vine

This is Amazon's ARC program and, as far as I can tell, it is invite-only. I have NO IDEA how Amazon chooses who to invite. All I know is you must post your reviews on Amazon, and you probably need good "helpful" ratings (not sure what they consider "good") and you probably have to publish your reviews often. It seems like members of this program receive a decent amount of books.

See Krystle's comment below for some insider information! (Thank you, Krystle!)

Sources for Reviewers AND Non-Reviewers

Even non-reviewers can receive ARCs! Here are a few ways I know of to snag an ARC if you're a non-reviewer, newbie reviewer, or established reviewer:

The Saturday Swap

Ruby from Ruby's Reads hosts this about once a month as a way for readers to swap books. Participants usually have a bunch of ARCs they are willing to swap. You do not need to be a blogger, nor do you need to have ARCs to swap (published books are fine!).

Giveaways

There are ALWAYS giveaways going on around the blogosphere, and many of them are giving away ARCs! I got one of my first ARCs from a giveaway hosted by Kelsey from The Book Scout. Different bloggers and authors (yes, authors host giveaways on their blogs!) have different rules (some want you to follow their blog, sometimes you have to tweet, some don't have any requirements, etc), but generally you do not need to be a reviewer in order to enter.

Shelf Awareness

This is a FREE daily e-newsletter you can sign up for, and I'm pretty sure you don't have to be a reviewer. When you sign up, make sure you register for the "PRO" edition. This edition contains a compilation of publishing and book-related news, but it is also the newsletter that has all the ads in it.

Ads? Who wants ads, right? This is one situation where you very much want ads, because these ads more often than not are links you can click on to request ARCs!

I've received a bunch of ARCs through Shelf Awareness and I highly recommend checking it out. The actual content is usually pretty interesting, too.

Random Buzzers

This is a site run by the publisher Random House and there are a few different ways you can get ARCs.

The only way I'm personally familiar with is through their Buzz Bucks program. You fill out little quizzes or do quick activities to earn Buzz Bucks that you can then use toward getting books. Most of the books are finished copies, but sometimes they do offer ARCs (though, really, free finished books are pretty exciting, too!).

They also have message boards where you can sign up to receive ARCs. I've never participated this way, so I can't give any details, but it seems like a great program.

Swap with other bloggers

A ton of bloggers are more than willing to swap books with you. Off the top of my head, I know Tayte from Reading in Paradise and Ruby from Ruby's Reads are currently looking to swap books.

Ask your local librarian or bookstore

These people sometimes receive ARCs. It can't hurt to politely introduce yourself and ask if you can leave your contact information with them in case they have any ARCs they are willing to pass on to you.

3. Should you write a review policy?

YES! Even if your blog has only been running for a day, you should write a clear and to the point review policy. You can use my Review Policy as a guide if you'd like.

The biggest shock to me when I first started blogging was the incredible number of authors who would contact me for review requests (particularly indie and self-published authors). This WILL happen to you, so it's best to be prepared.

What you should include in your review policy:

What book format do you accept? Not accept? (ARCs, finished copies, audiobooks, e-books?)
Will you accept self-published or indie published books?
What broad genres do you accept? Not accept? (YA, middle grade, adult?)
What specific genres do you accept? Not accept? (Dystopian, fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, etc?)
Contact information (include your email address, do not include your mailing address)

You can also state what publishers/authors can expect if you accept their request, like how long it will take you to post your review, what your reviews include (rating, summary, etc), and any other places you will post your review or mention their book.

You might also like to include information on whether or not you will host giveaways, author guest posts/interviews, blogger guest posts, and if you will participate in ARC tours.

Review policies will make your life so much easier. Trust me. If you need to decline a review request (and you will encounter this at some point), it is much easier to point to your review policy ("I'm sorry, as stated in my review policy, I am not currently accepting e-books/short stories/dystopians/books with a character named Frank/etc for review").

Your review policy will also help you avoid getting review pitches you don't want anyway. Some people won't read your policy, but many will (my self-published requests dropped drastically after I stated in my policy that I am not accepting self-published books for review). Stating what you will and won't review up front saves both you and the requester time and frustration.

4. What to write in your request?

There are many different ways to go about writing a review request. The following is a list of things you may want to include:

Briefly introduce yourself (use your real name, both first and last)
Blog name and type of books you review (YA, MG, adult?)
Blog link, and links/mention of any other place you regularly post reviews
Your blog stats (Date/Year you started blogging, number of unique visitors per month, pageviews per month, how often you update your blog--NOT including memes, etc)
How you promote books on your blog (reviews, author interviews, author guest posts, giveaways, etc)
If you work in a book-related field, include that (library, bookstore, etc)
A short reason why you're interested in the book, if applicable (don't make this about YOU, show how you can help THEM)
Your mailing address (very important to include!) and your email address (yes, write it out)--you can include this in an electronic signature
The title of the book(s) you are requesting (+ ISBN/Imprint, author, publication date)
Links to previous reviews you have posted, preferably for the same imprint or similar book (thank you Jana!)

You want your email to be polite, professional, and to the point. Remember the purpose of an email like this is to of course request a book, but also to show the publisher/author that you would be a profitable person to send a limited ARC. This is business. ARCs and shipping cost money, so you need to show that you will do something that will make their expenditure worthwhile.

When I first started requesting ARCs I was SO shy (ok, I still am) and I ended up writing very little in my request. Too little. I pretty much stuck to my blog stats and the book's information. My requests had no personality and did nothing to show the publisher what *I* could do for *them*. Even though it may feel uncomfortable tooting your own horn, it is important you include enough information about your blog and your accomplishments.

As far as I can tell, it is better to include all of your review requests in one email. That is, if you are requesting three titles from one publisher, ask for all of them in one email, not three separate emails.

If you are contacting the publisher for the first time, try to keep your number of requests to a minimum. Newer bloggers are more likely to receive titles that are not getting as much advertising attention. At this time, you may also offer to host an author interview/guest post. If you are more established, you may also offer to host a giveaway.

4. What to do after you've requested the book?

Wait. Don't bother the publisher with a million follow up emails. Publishers are very busy and oftentimes they won't even email you back (the book will just appear in your mailbox...or not).

If you get the book, great! Read on to #5.

But what if you don't? It's disappointing, I know (really, I know), but it isn't the end of the world.

Do not get discouraged--review requests are denied for all sorts of reasons, and some of the reasons have nothing to do with you personally
Do continue working on improving your blog (there is always room for improvement)
Do not argue with or insult the publisher/author--be gracious, say thank you for their time, and move on
Do read the book when it releases (you wanted to read it, right? Now you can!)
Do send your review to the publisher
Do not say anything snarky about them denying your request
Do wait a few months and then try again for a different ARC (maybe ask for a "smaller" title)

5. What to do after you've read the book?

Writing your review

You write your review! If you request an ARC, then you should write a review for it, even if you did not love the book. It's ok, publishers understand not every book will work for every reader. Just make sure to keep your review respectful.

If you absolutely cannot write a review, then it would be good to try to find another blogger who will read and review the ARC you received. You may also want to email the publisher and ask them what they prefer you do. You can offer to find another blogger to pass the ARC along to or see if the publisher would like you to host a giveaway for the ARC.

Publishers don't expect you to review every book they send you, especially if they've sent you a copy you didn't request. BUT, if you consistently receive ARCs but then do not review them, they will take note of this eventually and they will stop sending you ARCs. So if you want to keep receiving them, then you should review them.

When to post your review

You can post your review whenever you'd like (unless the publisher/author requests a specific date), but publishers tend to prefer you post your review within a month of the book's release.

Most don't mind if you post up to a month before the book releases, but some publishers (like Simon & Schuster) ask that you wait until after the book has been released. Check out The Story Siren's Dear Publisher series and NetGalley's Publisher Approval Preferences page for specific publishing house preferences.

Also make considerations for what your blog readers prefer. If your blog primarily caters to librarians and booksellers, then you may want to post your reviews much earlier as these types of readers tend to use reviews for collection development.

If your blog primarily serves people who read for pleasure, then sticking to the "around release date or later" rule of thumb is a good idea (these readers--myself included-- often get frustrated if they can't buy the book soon after reading the review. Plus, it's also easy to forget about a book if you hear about it too early).

Follow up

After you've posted your review, you should email a direct link to publisher and thank them again for the opportunity. If you post your review to any other site (Goodreads, Amazon, etc), then be sure to also include direct links to your review at these sites.

What to do with the ARC

If you do not want to keep the ARC after your review has been written, then you can give it away. Your local librarian or bookstores may appreciate getting your ARCs (they use ARCs to help determine whether or not they want to purchase the book for their collection. Librarians also use them as giveaway prizes.).

You can also give it away or swap with a friend or another reviewer/blogger. You can host a giveaway on your blog, donate it to an ARC tour site, or set up an ARC tour of your own. If you host a giveaway, then authors and publishers usually like to know about it so they can help you spread the word (more pageviews for you = good, more publicity for them = good).

The only thing you should NOT do with your ARC is sell it.

6. Additional information

The following are sources for additional information about ARCs. All of the sources are phenomenal and I highly recommend checking them out. Many other bloggers have written up advice on acquiring ARCs. If you know of any I haven't listed, please link them in the comments!

The Story Siren

Advance Reader Copies: FAQ's (includes a great list of email contacts)
Blog Tips
Advance Readers Copies: The Mash Up
Advance Readers Copies: What You Need to Know

The Story Siren's Dear Publisher Edition series (this is like GOLD):

Presenting Lenore

Reviewer X

Books with Bite

Bookalicious

Why aren't publishers getting back to me?

All Things Urban Fantasy

How I Blog: Wherefore ARC Thou

Authors and Publishers

Peachtree Publishers
Saundra Mitchell
Alexandra Bracken
The Book Publicity Blog (Read every post you can find about bloggers and review copies. Seriously, this blog is a goldmine!)

What have your experiences been with requesting ARCs? Do you have any advice or links to share? Please feel free to ask questions and answer whatever questions may be posed in the comments!

WoW (40): Garth Nix, Doug MacLeod

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix
(April 24, 2012)

From Goodreads:

You’d think being a privileged Prince in a vast intergalactic Empire would be about as good as it gets. But it isn’t as great as it sounds. For one thing, Princes are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Khemri discovers that the moment he is proclaimed a Prince.

He also discovers mysteries within the hidden workings of the Empire. Dispatched on a secret mission, Khemri comes across the ruins of a space battle. In the midst of it all he meets a young woman named Raine, who will challenge his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself.

Why I want to read it:

Why would I NOT want to read it?! First off, princes. They're right up there with princesses, and you know I'll read pretty much anything with a princess, right? Next, princes who kill princes. My Roman history loving heart is all a pitter patter in anticipation! (Because, you know, those Romans were always killing each other off for power, too.)

And then there's the romance. Ah, I am a sucker for romance. Plus, she will change his view of the empire? Of princes? Do I sense a rebellion brewing? There is SO much potential here!

The Life of a Teenage Body-Snatcher by Doug MacLeod
(January 2010)

From Goodreads:

Thomas Timewell is sixteen and a gentleman. When he meets a body-snatcher called Plenitude, his whole life changes. He is pursued by cutthroats, a tattooed gypsy with a meat cleaver, and even the Grim Reaper. More disturbing still, Thomas has to spend an evening with the worstnoelist in the world.

A black comedy set in England in 1828, The Life of a Teenage Body-Snatcher shows what terrible events can occur when you try to do the right thing. 'Never a good idea', as Thomas' mother would say.

Why I want to read it:

Well this sounds different! It also sounds funny and exciting with a lot of unexpected events. What "right thing" did Thomas try to do, why was Plenitude stealing bodies, and how does this change Thomas's life? I want to find out!

Have any of you read either of these books? Would you recommend them?

Join the fun!

Book Review: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

2012-01-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Series: #1 in the Healer series
Release Date: December 20, 2011
Publisher: Mira
Pages: 394
Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Summary

From Goodreads:

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people.

As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

Review

HECK YES

I love books like this. I don't even know where to begin with pointing out the awesome. Think specially made pom-poms and t-shirts just for this book so I can adequately fangirl over it.

I'll be your friend,
and not just because it would be handy to have you around

Avry is almost perfect for me. Almost. I couldn't help but compare her to Yelena (I know, bad Small), and unfortunately she didn't quite stack up. But that's more an indication of how much I adore Yelena, not how little I like Avry.

Because I like Avry a lot. She's one of those characters who is stubborn to a fault and totally blind to the obvious when it comes to romance, but for some reason I like her anyway. She even did stupid things and I liked her because her intentions were always good, even if her execution was often wanting.

Her healing power is also pretty cool. How neat would it be to have her around? At first I thought it was a pretty straight-forward power, but that was such a silly assumption on my part because Maria V. Snyder is far too amazing to do simple.

My only real complaint about Avry is that her characterization is a touch inconsistent and just a little bit Mary Sue with people fawning over her in ways that made me happy, but were also a little unrealistic.

Ok, fine, I guess I'll swoon for you

And then there's Kerrick. Oh Kerrick, what am I going to do with you? I knew I was in love with Kerrick from page one, but that really had nothing to do with Kerrick. That was all residual love from Valek.

When I started getting to know Kerrick, I was surprised by how much of a jerk he actually was. And it's not like he had an excuse for it either (or, not a good enough excuse for me).

Slowly but surely and just like Avry, I eventually came around to swooning for Kerrick (albeit a little grudgingly). It's hard not to when he's all Strong Stoic Fighter who later admits how devastated he would be if anything happened to the MC. Plus I can't not fall in love with a hate-turned-love romance.

A part of me is still sulking over his jerkiness, but I wanted to swoon over him and if I block out his earlier behavior, then swooning comes pretty easy.

(Still, dude, you just don't tie a girl to a tree and slap her like that!)

Big family alert!

I fell in love with Yelena's band of friends in Poison Study, and the same thing happened in Touch of Power. Maria V. Snyder does an awesome job at writing a group of friends who dote on the main character and make me feel all fuzzy and warm inside. I'm a sucker for the "big family" element and Maria V. Snyder totally satisfied me on this. You'd think I was looking at puppy pictures with the amount of awwws they pulled out of me.

Now, ok, maybe it wasn't totally realistic, and maybe the dialog did cross over into full on cheesy, A LOT. But I'm mostly ok with that because it made me smile.

Don't even think about bedtimes

This book is like potato chips. Or popcorn. Or cookies. What I mean is, you can't stop at just one and even with the best intentions of eating just a few, you'll soon realize you've scarfed down the entire container and you're still looking for more.

Or maybe I just have no self-control when it comes to food.

Whatever. I'm warning you now, Maria V. Snyder is an evil genius when it comes to ending every single chapter on a GIGANTIC cliffhanger. Her chapters aren't super long either, so it's easy to give in to the temptation of, "Oh, just one more" in order to find out what happens next.

This genius tactic, combined with the fast-pace, high action, and ever-growing mysteries made this 400 page tome fly by in the blink of an eye. I balk at 350 page books for being too long, so this is high praise coming from me.

My new favorite genre

I'm a character girl, and so usually it's the characters that will make or break a book for me and command the majority of my attention. And it's true, I loved the characters here. But the world Maria V. Snyder created is, dare I say it, even better.

It's solidly placed in the "generic medieval village," but a few years back a devastating plague swept through the world and killed a significant part of the population. Rulers fell and civilization pretty much disappeared, making Touch of Power a post-apocalyptic fantasy.

Yes, post-apocalyptic fantasy!! How awesome is that?? Hands down, this is my new favorite genre. Can we get more of this, please??

The sheer amazingness of this world building is making me all misty-eyed

The world is set up pretty well in the beginning and I understood the basics of what went down. But then, the more I read, the more details filtered through. Maria V. Snyder slowly introduced the different factions rising up to take control of the fractured lands, and just like Avry, I was never sure who I should place my loyalties with (if anyone!).

Then, partway through when Avry and I thought we understood everything, a bomb was dropped that totally shook us and had us questioning everything we thought we knew. It was marvelous!

Also, do you see those flowers on the cover? I admit, when I first saw them I thought they were kinda lame and I wondered if they even had anything to do with the plot or if they were just the floral equivalent to a pretty dress cover.

Well, let me assure you that one, they play a HUGE role in the book, and two, they are freaking scary (and, also, not so tiny!). All of the mythology and history tied up with these flowers was so filled with win that I actually got toe-tapping impatient when page time was spent on things like battles and swoony scenes. Totally crazy, right?

Oh, and to make things even better, the whole story is one giant QUEST!

WARNING!
(but don't worry, it has nothing to do with animals getting hurt)

Have tissues on hand.

Why no Special Shelf?

Three reasons. One, my mixed feelings about Avry and Kerrick.

Two, the language. Avry narrates with a very modern style of speaking that didn't feel natural to me and sometimes pulled me out of the story. I wanted something a little more "fantasy world" and less "modern teen." The other characters didn't seem to speak like this either, so that made it feel even more out of place.

And three, it just didn't stack up to Poison Study. All of the characters were less developed and the writing seemed A LOT rougher (but I read an ARC, so maybe that's why?).

Bottom line

Hooo-leee cow. How long do I have to wait for the sequel now?? No, really, how long?? I don't want to wait another second. Sure the ending is wrapped up nicely (Maria spared me her genius cliffhangers and gave me a neat ending).

But do you know how many questions I still have about the world?! I KNOW there are more secrets to uncover and gosh darnnit I am going to find out what those dead people are hiding from me!

Yes, yes you do hear me petulantly stomping my foot.

I'm hooked. Sure I like Avry and Kerrick and their friends. And sure I want to read more about them doing pretty much anything. But those flowers! That history! The fight for power! The mysteries are killing me and I am desperate for more.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key

Do you have any questions about Touch of Power that I haven't addressed? Feel free to ask in the comments!

Click to add Touch of Power to Goodreads

Click to buy Touch of Power

Looking for another book like this?

You might like:

Click on the covers to go to my reviews.

Discussion: When blogging makes me cry (and how I smile again)

2012-01-15T00:01:00.005-05:00

Blogging is a TON of fun, right? You know this, that's why you blog! But most things in life aren't ALL good or ALL bad, and blogging is no exception.

Today I want to discuss some of the pitfalls of blogging, or, if you're hyper-emotional like I am, the things you may encounter that will make you want to cry.

So today, let's talk about envy. As a newbie, this is an especially common feeling (but you know what? oldies feel it too!).

Your EVERYTHING is better than mine!

This is that feeling you get when you look at another blogger's design, followers, ARC-filled mailbox, comments, post ideas, whatever, and feel totally and utterly inadequate in comparison.

I admit, I've succumbed to this on more than one occasion. And I still do. It's hard not to when you see something you want but don't have. Or don't think you have. I may have even wailed (once or twice) that NO ONE LOVES ME AND EVERY PUBLISHER HATES ME AND I AM A FAILURE AT BLOGGING AND LIFE AND THE WORLD!

Yes, I can occasionally be a little dramatic (it's the Gothic fiction fan in me). It's easy to give into those kinds of feelings, but it's also important to look at things with a little perspective.

Everyone has more followers than I do!

The feeling: Why don't people want to read my blog? What am I doing wrong? Am I unlikable? Publishers will never take me seriously.

The reality: Some of my absolute favorite blogs have lower follower counts. I read their posts and wonder why in the world they don't have thousands and thousands of followers. They're amazing! I would follow them twice if I could. Follower numbers aren't always a reflection of the quality of the blog. Remember this especially when you're feeling down!

The solution:

Try the tips I mentioned in my Tips & Tricks series How to Attract Readers to Your Blog
Participate in memes like Feature Follow Friday and The Book Blogger Hop
Give it time. Seriously, it takes time to gain followers
Utilize social networking resources like Twitter, Facebook, message forums, etc
Follow blogs in your niche (i.e. other YA book blogs)
Recognize the value of the followers you DO have
Don't compare yourself to others
Forget about your stats and just blog

The wider you cast your net, the more likely you are to gain TRUE followers. And you will! I promise. But like most things with blogging, remember, quality over quantity. One loyal, devoted, quality follower can make this whole blogging endeavor worthwhile.

My blog design is ugly and everyone thinks I am an eyesore!

The feeling: My blog doesn't look as good in comparison to other blogs. No one will read my blog because it is not visually attractive.

The reality: Yes, honestly, I do make snap judgements on the appearance of a blog. I am more likely to stop and read a visually appealing blog. But, a blog doesn't need to be flashy to be visually attractive. Some of my favorite blogs have extremely simple designs. A neat (this is key! Don't let your sidebar pictures hang over their edges!), easy to navigate blog is more important to me than a blog with professionally designed graphics.

The solution: This is probably the easiest lamentation to address. Don't like your blog design? Get a new one! There is an endless number of free and pay-for sources for you to choose from.

I haven't used any of these services and so I can't vouch for them, but here is a list to start you off:

Designs to buy (some have free or low-cost options, too):

Free backgrounds:

Free templates (codes):

Blogger Templates

Everyone else is a million times more creative than I am!

The feeling: Everyone else is coming up with all of these really inventive features, and I can't! Everyone's reviews are so creatively written and mine feel like a snooze-fest book report. My blog doesn't stand out in any way and no one will want to read it. I'm plain vanilla boring!

The reality: Creativity is a fickle thing. It comes. It goes. You can't control it, so don't stress out trying to. It will come when it comes and stressing will only muck up your creative juices.

Also, some people are naturally more creative than others, or naturally more creative in certain ways. Take me, for example: I'm a creative problem solver but I can't for the life of me write fiction. Really, I'm awful. Such is life. Focus on your natural strengths and don't stress about the rest.

The solution: Stop looking at other people and start looking in the mirror. What kind of post do YOU wish were there? What would YOU like to read? When reading a review, what do YOU want to know about the book? Chances are, if you want something, then someone else wants the same thing. Make it happen.

And don't forget, creativity is great, but there is something to be said for the expected. The traditional. As much as I love "creative chocolate" like truffles or fancy chocolate bars with nuts and pretzels and toffee pieces and whatever, I will never turn down a good old-fashioned plain chocolate bar. Never.

So when the muse is out on extended vacation, embrace the basics. There is nothing wrong with a review blog with nothing but reviews. You don't need to be THE NEXT BIG THING to offer something of value.

There are so many cliques and no one wants to be MY friend!

The feeling: I want to sit at the cool kids' table, but they don't pay any attention to me. Do they not like me? I feel awkward and like I stand out...and not in a good way.

The reality: Want another "hard truth"? Yes, cliques exist. Not everyone will like you, and YOU aren't going to like everyone. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you (or them). It's just that different people have different tastes and click in different ways. This is natural.

The solution: Don't try to force a friendship. If you like someone's blog, then follow it. Comment on it if you enjoy commenting. Do it because you enjoy it, not because you want them to pay attention to you. If you're a good match, then a friendship will grow naturally.

Good friendships build over time. Lots of time. Don't stress if you're not immediate BFFs with someone. You WILL find friends in the blogging world.

Also remember that blogging is time consuming and most bloggers have careers, family, and school that command even more of their time. If you leave a comment or follow someone, don't get discouraged if they don't reply immediately. It may take a month or more for a blogger to be able to get back to you, but that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't interested. They may be very interested, but also very busy (I know this is 100% the case for me!).

What about blogging gets you down? What makes you feel better again? Do you have any advice to share?

When you see a smaller blog, what do you think about them? What about blog designs? Do you judge a blog by its "cover"?

3 Ways to Attract New Blog Readers

2012-01-12T00:01:00.002-05:00

3 Ways to Attract
New Blog Readers
through Hosting

Part 3 of the series
How to Attract Readers to Your Blog

What You Will Learn

You spent days (or weeks! Months!) setting up your blog, perfecting your design, and writing quality content…but you have no readers! Before you can even begin to worry about developing a following, you first need to let the world know your blog exists. But how do you get your name out there?

I've been asked by a number of people how I network my blog to attract readers. To answer that question, I’ve written a series of Blogging Tips and Tricks posts. In each post in the series I will outline a few methods for attracting new readers to your blog. I am NOT an expert and these tips are based on my own observations and experiences.

Previous posts in the series:

4 Ways to Gain Readers Using Comments
How to Increase Blog Readership with Search Engines

Let's Do This!

Method 1: Host a Giveaway

One of the fastest ways to get people to look at your blog is to offer them a chance to get something for free. Giveaways are great for exposure.

You have a couple of choices when you do this. You can:

Make following a requirement

Not make following a requirement

Require/give extra entries for spreading the word

Obviously having following as a requirement will make your follower numbers skyrocket. All I have to do is follow you with no intention of ever reading your blog and I could win something? Score! Lots of people will follow you (though probably not me. I feel like I'm lying if I do that).

The downside? Many of these people are not "true" followers in the sense that they'll keep coming back.

Personally, I'm a statistics junky, so I don't like muddying my follower stats with these types of followers (they're also the most likely to un-follow you, which always makes me sad).

Also, not everyone who reads your blog is going to be a blogger, so making following a requirement may alienate your most devoted readers! I started reading blogs long before I had an account with Blogger and I'm not the type of person to subscribe through email, but that didn't make me any less of a follower.

Because of all of this, I will never ask you to follow my blog in order to enter a giveaway. BUT, my follower numbers are also a lot lower as a result.

So there are pros and cons. This is a personal choice and only you can determine what is right for you and your blog.

Giving extra entries is a great way to help spread the word about your blog. Basically, you're getting the people who enter your giveaway to do a little leg work for you and, as a result, your blog will be exposed to lots of untapped readers.

The only reason I don't normally do this is because I'm too lazy to add up extra entries (it was CRAZY the one time I did this, though I did have "unconventional" extra entries). But, there again, my blog's exposure is probably taking a hit.

I hear Rafflecopter is great if you want to use extra entries (I will probably never use Rafflecopter because I don't like it. But that's a whole 'nother conversation).

Making extra entries a requirement may turn some people off, too (not everyone uses Twitter and Facebook! Like, um, me...).

How to spread the word about your giveaway:

Join a giveaway hop
Sign up your giveaways with Candace's Saturday Situation
Send invitations through Goodreads (but not too many, please!)
Announce it on your blog sidebars
Announce it on the bottom of your blog posts (for those who read your blog in a feed reader)
Announce it on Facebook/Twitter
Make a button for people to grab
Require/offer extra entries for spreading the word
I'm sure there are other ways, what do you suggest?

Method 2: Host an Event

Hosting an event is a great way to expose yourself to new readers. Just look at Busting the Newbie Blues for an example! I also recently co-hosted the Historical Fantasy Jubilee.

I saw an increase in followers as a result of both events, but even more importantly those events have been great networking opportunities. Almost every blog that signed up for Busting the Newbie Blues last year are blogs I still read now, and I've found many more to add to my feed reader this year.

What did I do to spread the word about Busting the Newbie Blues?

I emailed bloggers who I thought might be interested and asked if they would join
I made a button for people to add to their blogs
My event includes interaction where bloggers make a post on their own blogs

What did we do to spread the word about the Historical Fantasy Jubilee?

Ruby and I sent out email invitations to select bloggers and encouraged them to invite their friends
Ruby and I made event and game buttons for people to add to their blogs
Ruby tweeted links to our event
Some of our giveaways offered extra entries for tweeting
We added our giveaways to linkups like Candace's Saturday Situation (and others)
The authors who participated in the event spread the word through their own social networks

What you should keep in mind:

Hosting an event takes A LOT of time and effort, so plan your time accordingly
The more involved you are, the more involved others will be

Method 3: Host a Challenge

Hosting a challenge is not something I have done yet, but I imagine it would be a good way to attract readers to your blog. Not only that, but it is a great way to get readers to keep coming back to your blog.

Why it brings in readers:

They're first introduced to your blog when they sign up
They keep coming back to your blog to report their progress
They'll talk about your challenge on their own blogs

What you can do to spread the word:

Make a button (challenge participants love buttons!)
Send out an invitation on Goodreads
Advertise your challenge on your own blog (so people passing through will stay)
Use Facebook or Twitter
Send email invitations to people you think might be interested (but don't be spammy!)

What you should keep in mind:

Hosting a challenge takes a lot of time and effort
The more involved you are, the more involved others will be
Make the rules clear
Don't change the rules partway through!
Be on top of things--if you have a linky list each month, make sure you put it up at the beginning of every month
From the beginning, clearly state what participants need to do when they finish the challenge
Check out The Story Siren's Debut Author Challenge or Stalking the Bookshelves and I Eat Words' YA Series Challenge for examples of well-run challenges

What do you think are good things to host?
Have you hosted any of these?
Do you have any advice about what to do or not do when acting as a host?

Click here to make a request for a future Tips & Tricks post.
The form is anonymous, so please don't feel shy at all!

I'm certainly not an expert, but I'll try my hardest to explain what I do know and research what I don't know. Please keep in mind this feature will only appear once a month, so it may take some time for me to get to your question--but I promise you I will!

Click here to read previous Tips & Tricks Posts

New Feature: If I like this...

2012-01-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

...then I might like...

I love those things on Goodreads and Amazon where they suggest books that you might like if you also like the featured book.

But...they aren't always accurate, and some things I want are a little too specific for a general computer program to find (like, um, how do I do a search for "Hot guys like Wayland North"??)

So that's where this feature comes in. Who better to give book recommendations than actual people who read and enjoy similar books? Nothing makes my TBR grow like YOU do!

Sometimes I may call on you for recommendations that are like a specific book I've read and loved, but other times I may ask for less concrete things like "books with characters like X" or "books with witches," etc. Sometimes I may even offer YOU suggestions!

So, what do you think? Are you up for it? Suggestions to improve this feature are, as always, TOTALLY welcome!

Featured Book:

The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter

Who is the recommendation for?

This time I'm actually asking for one of my 12 year old library patrons. She inspired this feature, so it seems fitting to me to kick off the first post by searching for a recommendation for her. She gave me an adorable thank you card for introducing her to the series, and after blinking back my tears of joy I vowed to help her find more books like this.

More of this, please:

The most I could get from her was that she loved "Everything about it!" I haven't read these books yet, so I'm having trouble deducing what it is she probably wants. Looking at her reading choices, it seems like she prefers paranormal books with PG romance. I also get the impression that these books are fun and upbeat, so maybe something with a similar tone?

She also really liked The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen and I So Don't Do Spooky by Barrie Summy.

But not this:

She is 12 years old, so please keep that in mind when making suggestions (both for reading level and mature topics). She isn't really drawn to fantasy or contemporary "issues" books.

She did not like Ally Carter's Heist Society. I'm not sure why (haven't read that one either!), but she DNF-ed very early on.

So what do you think, can you help me find more books like this? Is there anything YOU'RE looking for?

DNF: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

2012-01-10T00:01:00.001-05:00

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley

Pages read: 143 of 320

I started out strong with Darker Still, but then I lost steam. The pacing slowed to a crawl, and you know I have no tolerance for that. After taking a break for a few days I realized that I didn't want to pick it up again.

It was pretty much love at first sight for me when it came to Natalie. She has a great narrative voice, which comes through strongly in her diary entries (the whole book is told through Natalie's diary entries because Natalie is mute). She was snarky and had a lot of sass while still being super relatable.

I felt like I really got to know Natalie through her diary entries. I would love to invite her to my lunch table. But, as much as the narrative style worked well with this, I think it was a major factor in why I lost interest in the story.

Every event was told after the fact, and so I really didn't feel that burning desire to find out what would happen next. It was all very "meh, who cares?" for me.

The other reason was Denbury, the romantic lead. I know! I just...wasn't feeling him or their romance. It was insta-love and the whole thing bored me. I don't know anything about HIM outside of the fact that he's good looking and nice. Nice. How awful when that's the best word I can muster up.

The mystery started out interesting, but that didn't last long. I think it was a combination of too little information and too easy mystery.

There was too little information in that the framework of the world and magical elements seemed thin to me. I didn't feel like I was absorbed in the world or grounded in the magical rules. I knew so little that I couldn't even try to work through the problem on my own and that made me feel like a spectator instead of an involved reader.

The problem also seemed overly simple. I didn't get a sense of peril and I never worried that the bad guy would win in the end. The villain didn't interest me. The mystery didn't have any hurdles or complications. Instead, clues were easily found and quickly understood by Natalie and Co. This killed my interest.

When I think of this book I think a combination of "meh" and "nice" but obviously neither of those get my heart pounding. I don't feel much need to find out what happens next, so I guess I won't.

Have you read Darker Still? What were your thoughts? I hope you liked it more than I did!

Book Review: Ditched by Robin Mellom

2012-01-09T00:01:00.004-05:00

Ditched by Robin Mellom
Release Date: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 288
Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads Page

Summary

From Goodreads:

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.
And then ditched her.

Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together — stain by stain on her thrift-store dress — exactly how she ended up dateless.

Review

I almost DNF-ed after the first chapter

The story starts out with Justina waking up in a ditch with no memory of what happened the night before. But she very quickly begins alluding to events from the previous night, so she sort of does remember. And then she does remember. Confusing? Yeah, I was confused, too.

To make it even more confusing, Justina's first person narration started out relating the events in a broken, cryptic, half-explained manner (frequently noting "but I'm getting ahead of myself" and then dropping that train of thought!) and I had NO CLUE what was going on.

I wanted to shake her and tell her to just spit it out already--COHERENTLY! I don't like feeling lost as to what is going on in a story, so the whole first chapter really bugged me. I almost DNF-ed right there.

Like a teen movie

But I WAS intrigued so I kept reading and I'm glad I did. Once Justina gets to the 7-11 and starts telling her story to the cashier, the story picks up and the narrative smooths out a lot. I wasn't confused anymore.

At this point I totally felt like I had been sucked into a teen romantic comedy movie. Even the narrative style (tone and execution) made me think "MOVIE SCRIPT." This is a good thing. I love those kinds of movies, and I loved this book version just as much.

It goes something like this

The book alternates between the present in the 7-11 and the events of the night before.

The 7-11 chapters are short and serve as little interludes where the 7-11 cashier and, later, one of the customers who stays to listen, chime in with their opinions and sympathy. I liked these sections and they made me feel like I was another random person who stopped to listen to Justina tell her crazy story.

I also liked how these chapters provided a frame for the plot to work within. Justina's story can be mapped by the stains on her dress, and each interlude nudged Justina toward explaining how she got every stain, rip, and bruise (and tattoo).

Between each of these interludes is a larger chapter chronicling a part of Justina's prom night. These parts were the meat of the story.

Since I knew Justina ends her night alone, dumped out of a car, and hating the guy she was supposed to be in love with, my curiosity was super high. I read these chapters with rapt attention, trying to piece together the events of her evening and guess how she ended up where she did. It was almost like a mystery, complete with clues, red herrings, and suspects.

Feeling sorry for yourself? Read this book

I decided to pick up Ditched because I was in one of those two-ice-cream-tubs pity party moods. I put on my pajamas, curled up in bed, grabbed a chocolate bar and settled into Justina's tale. It was perfect. Perfect.

Ditched made me smile and laugh out loud. I commiserated with Justina and snacked on junk food right along with her. I groaned out loud as her night went from bad to unbelievably worse. I grinned with fluffy happiness when the most unexpected people came through for her. Ditched was exactly what I was looking for.

Bottom line

After the rocky start, Ditched held my interest completely. The story moved along at a good pace with pieces of the puzzle coming together in each chapter. Ditched is a standalone.

Ditched is Robin Mellom's first book and already I can't wait to see what she writes next. Definitely a good pick if you're looking for a fun romantic comedy. Only drawback is that the guy is absent from the story for a large chunk of the book, but, don't worry, Justina more than makes up for that.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key

Can you believe it?! A contemporary without a single paranormal element!

Do you have any questions about Ditched that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

What books do you turn to when you're in a two-ice-cream-tub pity party kind of mood?

Looking for another book like this?

You might like:

Click on the covers to go to my reviews/Goodreads.

In My Mailbox (30)

2012-01-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

This mailbox is for the past two weeks.

Click here to see my previous mailboxes.

For Review

I said this last IMM, but I'll repeat it again for any newbies who might be participating in Busting the Newbie Blues (are you not participating yet? Come join the fun!).

Whenever I see people's mailboxes and I look at what they got for review, I'm always curious HOW they got them, especially since I feel sorta like I'm stumbling around in the dark without a map when it comes to acquiring review books. Did they ask for them? Did the books magically appear on their doorstep? Are they e-books? HOW DO I GET THEM???

Ahem, so in case anyone else is wondering the same things, I am going to write how I received each review book. Hopefully this will help clear up some of the mystery surrounding the sometimes seemingly mystical appearance of review books.

Please note: I am NOT offering advice on how you should go about getting review books. I'm only sharing what I did. Really, I'm so far from knowing what I'm doing that I can't give advice.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

This book appeared unexpectedly, but I'm pretty sure I got it because I filled out a request through an ad in Shelf Awareness. I'm iffy on it because I'm sort of freaked out by the idea of cyborgs and androids and similarly mechanical people.

But, I have read many good reviews and I DO harbor strong positive feelings for Star Trek's Data (though not The Borg--they hurt Picard! You do NOT hurt Picard!), so I'm wary but game. The cover totally grosses me out though. How do you make feet more puke-inducing? Stick creepy mechanical parts in them!

New Girl by Paige Harbison

This is a retelling of Daphne du Maurier's amazing book Rebecca. I first heard about New Girl after reading Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews' EPIC list of classic retellings (posted for the Classic Double Challenge she's hosting).

I am a gigantic hand-waving fan of Rebecca so I jumped all over New Girl when I saw it offered on NetGalley (look for it under HarlequinTeen). I've since read it and I am impressed. Fans of Rebecca and Adele Griffin's Tighter will probably want to check it out.

Thank you Feiwel and Friends, HarlequinTeen, and NetGalley!

Won

Hush, Hush and Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

I won both of these from the amazing Aylee from Recovering Potter Addict. Thank you so much, Aylee! I'm really curious to see what I think of this guy Patch I keep hearing about.

I don't have a photo, but I also won a TON of bookmarks from Splash of Our Worlds. Thank you! Most of the bookmarks are in Greek, so I'm not really sure what they say, but that's half the fun! The biggest hits have been Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Eclipse in Greek.

Library

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw

I read the first chapter and LOVED it, but then I decided to return it to the library. Crazy right? But there is a method to my madness. Shadowcry is the first book in a series...a series that isn't published in full yet in the US. I get the feeling that I am going to love this series (maybe even Special Shelf it?), so I'm going to wait until all of the books are available.

Legend by Marie Lu

I wish I had waited until the rest of this series was published! I am so completely in love with Legend that I'm having a hard time cobbling together a review that isn't a total gush-fest of OMGLOVELOVELOVE.

Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

This is an adult book, but I don't think there was anything too inappropriate for YA readers (except for the whole problems with consummating their marriage thing). I liked it a lot, but it's definitely Historical fiction with a capital H.

Poison by Sara Poole

This is another adult book, and this one IS more adult (but not overly smutty). It's about the Borgias, a plot to kill a pope, and the poisoner's daughter caught in the middle. I liked it, but it wasn't GREAT like I was hoping it would be. Still...

The Borgia Betrayal by Sara Poole

...I liked Poison enough to order the next book from the library. Now I just have to find the time to read it!

*Sorry I don't have photos for these other library books. I need to pick up batteries for my camera.

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

I've been meaning to read this book for SO long (ever since my frantically fangirling review of The Iron Queen), but I just never seemed to have the time. Now I got it through the library. Hopefully with a due date looming, I'll finally pick it up.

Liar's Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce

I ADORED the first book StarCrossed and I've been dying to read Liar's Moon ever since (even though it didn't even end on a cliffhanger)! I can't wait to dive into Digger's story again.

The Bad Queen by Carolyn Meyer

I read Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer and I enjoyed it a lot (except for the fact that it ended before all the good stuff really happened), so I've been wanting to read another one of her historicals ever since. I picked well with The Bad Queen. I loved it!

What did you get this week? Has anyone read any of these books yet? Did you like them?
Feel free to comment with links to your mailboxes or your reviews of these books!

Review Comparison Submissions: The Near Witch

2012-01-06T00:01:00.001-05:00

Have you written or will you be writing a review for:

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab?

If you would like your review to be featured in an upcoming Review Comparison post, please fill out the form to send me direct links to your reviews!

Click here to submit your review

What is a Review Comparison?

I'll read your reviews and list some of the pros and cons you've mentioned about the book.
I'll link to your full review so readers can get a chance to see different views about a book.
Click here to view previous review comparisons.
Featured books, including this month's featured book, are selected based on your suggestions. Feel free to suggest a book at any time.

Please note:

Newbies are welcome to join in!
Only direct links for the featured books will be accepted.
The comparison list will likely include direct quotes from your review.
All direct quotes will be credited to your blog name.
Submission of a link does not guarantee inclusion in the final post.
You do not have to be a follower of my blog to submit your review.
You may submit direct links to your review on Goodreads if you are not a blogger.
Submissions will be accepted until Tuesday, January 31st. Submissions will not be accepted after this date.
The Review Comparison for The Near Witch will post in February.

Tips & Tricks Challenge

2012-01-05T00:01:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the first Tips & Tricks post of this year's Busting the Newbie Blues!

Click to learn more about Busting the Newbie Blues!

Part of being a newbie is having a TON of questions (and, honestly, oldies have a lot of the same questions). I've answered a bunch of these questions last year through my Tips & Tricks series and I've compiled most of them here for you to browse through.

And, because January is all about signing up for challenges, I'm turning this into a mini challenge!

Don't worry, there aren't any big rules or requirements (I'm all about fudging challenge rules anyway). There aren't any levels or prizes. It's all very low key.

All you have to do is:

Pick one thing (or more!) from the list below and DO IT
Come back to this post and leave a comment telling us what you did
Leave a link to your post/blog so we can all check out your results and give you lots and lots of praise!

Not sure how to leave a clickable link? Check out my Tips & Tricks post about anchor text.

What do you do?

Any of the following Tips & Tricks qualify, plus any future Tips & Tricks posted throughout this event. YOU CAN DO IT!

The List:

Blog Design

Basics

How to Make a Full-Screen Blog Header
How to Make a Sidebar Header
How to Fix Overhanging Sidebar Images

Icons and Buttons

How to Make a Button
How to Make a Scrolling Widget for Blog Buttons
How to Make Social Networking Icons (Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, etc)
How to Make an "Email Me" Link and Icon

Personalize

How to Add a Signature to Posts
How to Customize a Comment Form Message

More HTML (made super simple)

How to Make Colored Boxes
How to Make Borders
How to Make a Progress Bar (for challenges)
How to Customize a Progress Bar

Attract Followers

Blog Promotion

How to Increase SEO with Post Titles
How to Increase Blog Readership with Search Engines
4 Ways to Gain Readers Using Comments

Suck Readers in for Hours!

How to Make Anchor Text
How to Make Named Attribution Jumps
How to Maximize Links, part 1
How to Maximize Links, part 2
How to Use Labels (Tags) to Increase Blog Traffic

Now go ahead and pick one! Make sure to come back here and share your success with us!

(And if you're having trouble, don't worry. Come back and ask questions so I can help you out.)

WoW (39: Sherwood Smith and Carolee Dean

2012-01-04T00:01:00.005-05:00

The Spy Princess by Sherwood Smith
(August 2, 2012)

When twelve-year-old Lady Lilah decides to disguise herself and sneak out of the palace one night, she has more of an adventure than she expected--for she learns very quickly that the country is on the edge of revolution. When she sneaks back in, she learns something even more surprising: her older brother Peitar is one of the forces behind it all.

The revolution happens before all of his plans are in place, and brings unexpected chaos and violence. Lilan and her friends, leaving their old lives behind, are determind to help however they can. But what can four kids do? Become spies, of course!

Why I want to read it:

It's Sherwood Smith! Sherwood Smith! The author who wrote my beloved Crown Duel!

Can you imagine the look on a five year old's face if you were to tell them they can go to the candy store and buy anything they want with no limits. That pure, unbridled joy mixed with slight disbelief at ever getting something so completely amazing? Yeah, that pretty much describes my reaction when I saw The Spy Princess in the Penguin catalog.

Take Me There by Carolee Dean
(July 20, 2010)

Dylan has a bad-boy past and a criminal record. He knows that rich, beautiful Jess is way too good for him—but she has always been the one person who sees through his tough exterior and straight to his heart, and he has been hopelessly in love with her from the first time they met. He would change his life for a chance with her.

But trouble follows Dylan wherever he goes, and a deadly mistake soon forces him to hit the road and leave his dreams behind. He’s on the run and in search of answers—answers to questions he wishes he’d never asked.

Why I want to read it:

I don’t read a lot of contemporary books, but I'm a sucker for the bad-boy/good-girl love story. Dylan sounds like a bad boy who is really a good guy, which is the best kind, right? The potential for a road trip makes Take Me There even more appealing.

Join the fun!

DNF: My Un-Fairy Tale Life by Anna Staniszewski

2012-01-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

I used to post my DNF explanations in my weekly recaps because they're not really reviews and I didn't want them to be confused as "real reviews." But, since I'm not doing weekly recaps anymore (sorry, they're getting cut with the new year!), I had to decide what to do with my DNF explanations.

I considered getting rid of them completely, but I didn't for three reasons:

I know some of you like them.

I'm nosy. If I see someone reading a book and then they don't review it, I wonder why. Did they hate it? Was the review just not coming? Did they even finish the book? I figure if *I* want to know, maybe other people do too.

Just because I couldn't finish a book, doesn't mean someone else might not love it. Chatting about books is what Small Review is all about, so why should a book get hidden away just because I didn't finish it?

So they're staying (unless, of course, you don't want them to). But instead of getting posted in a recap, I'll post them on an "as needed" basis.

Please remember, these aren't "official" reviews. These DNF explanations are simply me chatting about why I didn't finish a book and, as you'll see, I DNF books for all sorts of reasons (and not all of them because I didn't like the book).

Enough babbling? Ok, onto the DNF explanation!

My Un-Fairy Tale Life by Anna Staniszewski

Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley

Pages read: 100 of 192

My Un-Fairy Tale Life really is very cute. There are unicorns (at least in the first scene) and it IS funny, though I think younger readers would laugh out loud more than I did (I sort of snickered once or twice).

But it's also bizarre, with clowns and magic spells that remove mouths, and a kingdom of talking sheep (that I kept picturing like those sheep in the Serta mattress commercials). I can see kids enjoying these more unique features, but it was all a little too weird for my tastes. I'm not one of those readers who appreciates weird. I like my standard fare, thank you.

I also am far too old for this book. Some MG books work well as YA or even Adult crossovers, but My Un-Fairy Tale Life is not one of those books. This would be perfect for a 8-10 year old, and they'd probably get a kick out of the zany events, fast-pace, and emotional issues touched upon. But for me, it all rang a little too thin and young.

Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

2012-01-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Series: Fire and Thorns #1
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 423
Received: ARC from publisher, via Netgalley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads Page

Summary

From Goodreads:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

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

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

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

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

Most of the chosen do.

Review

I <3 Elisa

Everyone seems to talk about is Elisa's weight. And then her weight loss. But Elisa is far more than how much she weighs.

Elisa starts out as a very depressed girl. She isn't depressed because she's fat. She's fat because she's depressed. Big difference. She felt powerless in her position as second daughter and I think she felt crushed under the expectations and preordained future set out for her by the godstone.

While normally I would be all unsympathetic and "Get those issues AWAY FROM ME!" I surprised myself by loving Elisa. Her sadness was so palatable and I felt sorry for her, but more than that, I actually liked and admired her.

Whaaat?? I know. I know. Most reviewers have been totally turned off by Fat Elisa, but I saw many redeeming qualities in her. She was smart and applied her intelligence to learning about military tactics, people, politics, and the history of her faith.

I loved seeing her put these skills into action. In the beginning Elisa's keen insight was quickly shot down, but as she gained confidence in herself, she was able to stand by her opinions in the face of opposition. I was SO proud of her.

Part 1 versus Part 2

Part one is slower and more focused on the day-to-day events of Elisa's life in court. And her life isn't all that interesting. She's married to a man who has only married her for political purposes and has very little interest in spending time with her.

You'd think I'd have been bored stiff with this part of the plot, right? But I wasn't. I loved the small triumphs Elisa scored in part one and the subtle alliances she was forging based on the strength of her personality.

There is also a character in this part named Hector who strongly reminded me of London from Cayla Kluver's Legacy. Sadly, just like London, Hector leaves the story early on and only reappears toward the end. But I see potential there!

Part two is significantly more fast-paced and action-oriented. It was exciting with battles, struggles, strategies, and pretty decent antagonists. If you're bored with part one, try to stick it out until part two before DNF-ing. (Though I thought the character development was much better in part one and took a hit in part two.)

I don't like things in belly buttons

I was kinda icked out by the idea of a stone magically appearing in Elisa's belly button, especially since it's somehow fused to her skin (and there's a vomit-inducing scene that makes this clear).

Elugghh ok, no more thinking about that.

Gross-factor aside, I loved the world building Rae Carson developed. Elisa narrates The Girl of Fire and Thorns, so the world is presented from her perspective. This was an interesting way to establish the world and religion because Elisa has been raised with an extremely censored and narrow understanding of the world that slowly changes as the book progresses.

This easily could have made her an obnoxious character to read, but Elisa is an intelligent girl and so she quickly absorbs and considers the new information she uncovers like the scholar she is. I liked seeing the history unfold this way--first establishing the world, and then turning it on its head.

Elisa's drive to seek out and understand the history and purpose of the godstone was mirrored by my own interest to delve into this facet of the story.

Wait, is this a praying book?

Yes, and no. The religion of the world does play a significant role in the story and things like prayer and god's plan do get a lot of page time. And though the religion is entirely fictional, I'm sure allusions can be drawn to real religions.

But that's not my thing. I don't want to draw those connections (been there, done that, wrote the paper). I just want to be entertained now. On that, The Girl of Fire and Thorns delivers. Sure it's a religion, but it can be easily read as fantasy world building and the faith, culture, and history of those fantasy peoples.

Love is NOT in the air

There are two love interests in The Girl of Fire and Thorns, but this is not a love triangle. The first potential suitor is Elisa's husband, and he's pretty much a jerk.

The second potential love interest might appeal to teens, but to me (very much not a teen anymore) he was very, very young. He was sweet, but I'd have to give him the, "I like you like a younger brother" line. His personality also wasn't developed enough to make me have any strong feelings about him. Disappointing, huh?

I'm pretty confident that book two will introduce a new romantic interest, thankfully. I'm crossing my fingers that Hector will be the one.

Bottom line

I didn't fall head over heels in love with The Girl of Fire and Thorns, but I did zip right through it (it's over 400 pages, but it felt much shorter). The plot could have been a little tighter and while some of the deaths devastated me, some I really couldn't have cared less about (and I should have).

I have no doubt that I will be continuing on with Elisa's story. She's hooked me, but even if she hadn't, her world and the opportunity to learn more about its faith and history would be enough to keep me interested in the sequel.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns ends well enough as a standalone, but it is clear there is more to come. There are many more secrets still left to uncover about the godstone, and while the battle is over, the war still looms.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key

Do you have any questions about The Girl of Fire and Thorns that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

How do you feel about religions in fantasy books? Does it make it better for you if the religion is fictional, or do you still see this as too preachy?

For those who have read the book already, did you cry in THE scene? What are your thoughts on Elisa's transformation? Did you prefer part 1 or part 2? And, most importantly, do you think I'm going to get to see some kissing action with Hector??

Looking for another book like this?

You might like:

Click on the cover to go to Goodreads.

Busting the Newbie Blues is back!

2012-01-01T19:09:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the second
Busting the Newbie Blues event!

Starting out as a new YA book blogger is a ton of fun. You meet a bunch of new people who all share in your passion for YA books, you become a part of a friendly community, and you're continually exposed to wonderful new books.

But sometimes things can be a little discouraging when you're just starting out. You look at your blog and then look at some of the awesome established bloggers out there and wonder if you'll ever make the grade.

So here's to Busting the Newbie Blues! Don't be discouraged. Instead, take action! Participate in my Busting the Newbie Blues event, which will run through the entire month of January!

Last year's Busting the Newbie Blues was a big success! Almost all of my "daily read" blogs are run by people I met through this event. I thoroughly busted my newbie blues last year, and now I can't wait to pay it forward to a new year of newbies.

This event is designed to:

Put new YA book bloggers on the map
Increase blogger interaction
Start a discussion by sharing our experiences as new bloggers
Learn about what it was like for established bloggers when they were newbies

So how does this work? Simple:

Be a YA book blogger (oldie or newbie)
Select the questionnaire that best applies to you (there's no "wrong" choice, so just pick whichever one you feel most comfortable answering)
Create a post on your blog with the questions and your answers
Grab the button below to include in your post or sidebar
Link back to my post here so more people can join in
Sign the linky list below so we can all come and visit your blog!
Spread the word!

Try to visit as many blogs as you can. Take a look at their answers, but also check out a bunch of their other posts (try for 5?) and leave comments. If you like their blog, follow them! If someone follows you, then take a look at their blog and follow back if you like what you see.

I will also have Busting the Newbie Blues posts scattered throughout the month that will include things like blogging tips and tricks, discussions, and responses to your blogging questions (including the most frequently asked question--how do you get ARCs?!).

This event will run through the entire month of January, so bookmark this post and check back to ensure you'll be included in all the fun as new bloggers add their posts to the list. I can't wait to see all your responses and blogs! I hope everyone has fun. :)

Questionnaires:

New Bloggers:

Pick this questionnaire if you if you feel you're still getting your "blogging legs" and could use some advice and awareness brought to your blog, whether you're a brand new blogger or even if you've been blogging for over a year.

When did you start your blog?
Why did you start your blog?
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?
What do you find most encouraging?
What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?
What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?
Any advice for other new bloggers?
Any questions you'd like to ask newbie or established bloggers?
Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog? Feel free to link a few of your favorite posts or posts you wish had more comments.

Established Bloggers:

Pick this questionnaire if you've been blogging for a while, have a decent sized group of followers and people commenting on your posts, and get a decent amount of traffic. Basically, you have some experience blogging and you've seen positive results for your efforts. You can define "decent" however you'd like.

When did you start your blog?
Do you ever still feel like a newbie?
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?
What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? How did you deal with this?
What do you find most encouraging?
If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?
What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?
What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen? Do you try to avoid this?
How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people?
When and how did you get your first ARC (or first few ARCs)?

I hope you have fun! I look forward to reading all your responses, seeing how last year's newbies have grown, and meeting new blogging friends!

But wait, there's more!

After this past November's Historical Fantasy Jubilee, I think it's pretty safe to say that Ruby from Ruby's Reads and I work well together. But how did this princess connection come to be?

Busting the Newbie Blues, that's how.

Yup, Ruby and I met through last year's Busting the Newbie Blues event. Is that not a fantastic endorsement to the potential awesome you can get through Busting the Newbie Blues?

Ruby and I loved working together so much that we decided to join forces once again! While I'll be hosting Busting the Newbie Blues, Ruby will be hosting a version for oldie bloggers called Busting the Big Blogger Blues! What is this sister event? I'll let Ruby explain:

Basically, Bx4 is designed to help more established bloggers with the struggles that come a bit later in the game. I don't know about you, but I have plenty of trouble with scheduling, managing my review pile, and making sure I comment on other blogs, and I'd welcome any advice I can get.

Even though this event is tailored for oldie bloggers, I think newbies should be able to gain a lot from it as well. I know I'll be checking it out for myself (because my review pile? Um, yeah, I let that get WAY out of control! Oops!).

Interested? Grab Ruby's button and check out Ruby's Reads tomorrow to bust your big blogger blues!

Read in 2012

2012-01-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

Previous years' lists

An asterisk (*) indicates a book I own.

January (#)

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins *

2012 Reading Challenge Addict

2011-12-31T00:01:00.010-05:00

0/19 challenges
Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Reading Challenge Addict
Hosts : Reading Challenge Addict
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Complete the reading challenges I've signed up for.
Levels: Four; I am going to try for the third level: 11-15 challenges
Prizes? Yes, TBA
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

Well, I've already signed up for 15 16 17 18 19 challenges, so I think I qualify as an addict!

Challenges Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What level are you going for?

2012 Free Reads Challenge

2011-12-30T00:01:00.005-05:00

0/15 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Free Reads Challenge
Hosts : Bookish Ardour
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read books you’ve received without purchasing: gifts, ARCs, prizes that you haven’t read yet. Library books do NOT count.
Levels: Seven; I am going to try for the second level: Read 15 books
Prizes? Not that I see
Link Your Reviews: Yes, HERE
Sign up page
Report completion page

Why I'm Interested:

I have a LOT of books on my shelves. It's like once I acquire a book it goes into a black hole where I neglect them terribly in favor of library books. NO MORE!

Plus, it looks like ARCs sent for review will count toward this challenge, which should make this an easier challenge to finish (while, um, still probably neglecting my other free books, but shhh).

Some books I'm considering:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines
The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen

A TON more.

Books Completed:

2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge

2011-12-29T12:00:00.046-05:00

0/6 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge
Hosts : Library of Clean Reads
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read time travel books.
Levels: Four; I am going to try for the second level: Read 4-6 books
Prizes? Not that I see
Link your reviews: Yes, HERE
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I'm a hopeless devotee of time travel books. I especially love seeing modern characters go back in time.

Some books I'm considering:

I freely admit, on some level a part of me is hoping that signing up for this challenge will somehow MAKE Tributary get itself published and delivered into my desperate little hands (that would be the *please please please* fourth book in the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren).

Barring that, I'll settle for Lia and Luca's story.

Oh, wait, do you want something more concrete and, well, other than the River of Time? Ok, fine, I'm also considering these:

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
Old Magic by Marianne Curley
Tempest by Julie Cross
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 YA Historical Fiction Challenge

2011-12-29T00:01:00.007-05:00

0/15 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 YA Historical Fiction Challenge
Hosts : YA Bliss
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read YA or MG historical fiction books.
Levels: Three; I am going to be ambitious and try for the third level: Read 15 books
Prizes? Not that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I LOVED this challenge last year! I was hoping Sab would host the challenge again in 2012. Historical fiction is a genre I love, but I don't read it as often as I wish I did. There are also a bunch of Big Name historical fiction authors I've been meaning to read...but still haven't (like *cough* Mary Hooper). Hopefully 2012 will be the year!

Some books I'm considering:

Books from my Goodreads shelf. Last year historical fantasy was acceptable, so hopefully the same holds true this year. If so, then I have a whole 'nother list to pull from.

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Mythology Challenge and Fairy Tales Retold Challenge

2011-12-28T00:01:00.012-05:00

0/10 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Mythology Challenge
Hosts : For Those About to Read
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read 10 YA or MG novels that incorporate any type of Mythology in the story line (Greek, Egyptian, Norse, etc.).
Levels: Just the one: 10 books
Prizes? Not that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

Because I am a mythological junky, of course. A lot of books from my TBR qualify.

Some books I'm considering:

The challenge host has created this list, which I'll probably use for inspiration. I also have my own Goodreads shelf to browse through for ideas (my list also includes fairy tale retellings, but I'm pretty sure those don't count for the challenge).

Books Completed:

0/12 books

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Fairy Tales Retold Challenge
Hosts : Debz Bookshelf
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Fairy tale retellings! Or original fairy tales.
Levels: Five; I am going to go for the fourth level: Read 12 books
Link your reviews? Yes, monthly TBA
Prizes? None that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

Because I am a fairy tale addict.

Books Considered:

Fairy tales on my Retellings Goodeads shelf.

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for these challenges? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Classic Double Challenge

2011-12-27T00:01:00.003-05:00

0/6 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: Classic Double Challenge
Hosts : One Librarian's Book Reviews
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read a classic, fairy tale, or myth, and then read a modern book that somehow relates back to the original.
Levels: Four. I am going to try for level 3: Read 6 books (three pairs)
Prizes? Yes, to be determined
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I've put off reading Jane Eyre for FAR TOO LONG. Other than that, I think I can knock this challenge out with all the fairy tale retellings on my TBR.

I also like that the challenge makes me think of a big cheeseburger.

Some books I'm considering:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont

East of the Sun, West of the Moon
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

The Goose Girl by the Brothers Grimm
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Sophomore Challenge & 2nds Challenge

2011-12-26T00:01:00.004-05:00

0/10 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge
Hosts : Chick Loves Lit
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read 10 sophomore books released in 2012 (the second book the author wrote)
Levels: Just one- Read 10 books
Prizes? Yes, throughout the year
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

There are a lot of sequels I plan on reading anyway, so this should be an easy challenge to meet.

Some books I'm considering:

Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
Outpost by Ann Aguirre
The Fourth Stall: Part II by Chris Rylander
Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow

Books Completed:

0/12 books

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 2nds Challenge
Hosts : A Few More Pages

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read books that are 2nd in a series or the second time you’ve read the author.
Levels: Four. I am going to try for level 3: Read 12 books
Prizes? None that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I did this challenge last year and had a lot of fun with it. There are a lot of authors who I've read and enjoyed, and I want to read more of their books.

Some books I'm considering:

The same as above, plus:

Juliet Marillier
Elizabeth Marie Pope
Kristina Springer
Elizabeth C. Bunce
Leah Cypess
Emily Whitman
Clare B. Dunkle
Lisa Klein

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Library Challenge

2011-12-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

0/36 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Support Your Local Library Challenge
Hosts : The Eclectic Bookshelf
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read library books.
Levels: Four; I am going to try for the third level: 36 library books
Prizes? None that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I work in a library, so this challenge is pretty much my DUTY. I also have a lot of Bucket List books I hope to get to this year, and they'll probably be coming from the library.

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading?

2012 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge

2011-12-24T12:00:00.008-05:00

0/10 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Hosts : Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Any book that contains a witch as a main character or witchcraft elements.
Levels: Four; I am going to try for the second level: Read 6-10 books
Prizes? Yes! But only if you link your reviews.
Link Your Reviews: Yes, HERE
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

Because witches are awesome! Do I really need another reason?

Some books I'm considering:

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
The Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn
Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill
The Sacrifice by Kathleen Benner Duble
Bewitching by Alex Flinn
A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Dystopian Challenge

2011-12-24T00:01:00.004-05:00

0/5 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Dystopia Challenge
Hosts : Bookish Ardour
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read dystopian and post-apocalyptic books.
Levels: Seven; I am going to try for the first level: Read 5 books
Prizes? Not that I see
Link Your Reviews: Yes, HERE
Sign up page
Report completion page

Why I'm Interested:

While I'm overall more of a happy books kind of reader, every once in a while I like to put on my Chicken Little IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!! hat and read about plagues of zombies, diseases, government control, and other Bad Things. I'm more into the post-apocalyptic books than the dystopians.

Some books I'm considering:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines
The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
Spark (Sky Chasers #2) by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Outpost (Razorland #2) by Ann Aguirre

+ More. Huh, there are a lot more post-apoc/dystopian books on my TBR than I thought. I actually may be able to complete this challenge!

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 YA/MG Fantasy Challenge

2011-12-23T00:01:00.004-05:00

0/10 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: YA/MG Fantasy Reading Challenge
Hosts : The Book Cellar
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read 10 YA or MG fantasy that are released in 2012
Levels: Just one- Read AND review 10 books
Prizes? Yes, monthly giveaways you enter by linking your reviews
Link your reviews: Yes, monthly signups
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I love fantasy! Much as I enjoy many other genres, fantasy has a special place in my heart. The vast majority of my Special Shelf books come from the fantasy genre.

Some books I'm considering:

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards
Bewitching by Alex Flinn
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Queen of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Bucket List Challenge

2011-12-22T00:01:00.006-05:00

0/8 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 "Bucket List" Book Reading Challenge
Hosts : The Eclectic Bookshelf
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Books I have been meaning to read for a long time, but still haven't read.
Levels: Four. I am going to try for the second level 8 books
Link your reviews? Yes, HERE
Prizes? None that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I WANT to read these books, but I always push them aside for some reason. NO MORE!

Books Considered:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Alanna, The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Blue Sword/The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan
The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Everlasting by Angie Frazier
Poison by Sara Poole

And other books that have been on my TBR prior to 2012

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Debut Author Challenge

2011-12-21T00:01:00.002-05:00

0/12 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Debut Author Challenge
Hosts : The Story Siren
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Books written by 2012 debut YA/MG authors.

Levels: One. Read AND review a minimum of 12 books
Prizes? Yes, details TBA.
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

Because of the massive amount of win that seems to be debuting in 2012!

Books Considered:

Books on my 2012 Debut Goodreads shelf.

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Off the Shelf Challenge

2011-12-20T00:01:00.003-05:00

0/15 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: Off the Shelf 2012
Hosts : Bookish Ardour
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Books I own from any genre (2011 and older)
Levels: Seven. I am going to try for the second level 15 books
Link your reviews? Yes, HERE
Prizes? None that I see
Sign up page
Report completion page

Why I'm Interested:

Because I'm always neglecting my own books and they're piling up fast!

Books Considered:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison
How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-boyfriend by Janette Rallison
Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry
The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson
The rest of the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian

Um, and that's just what's on the shelf right in front of me.

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read?

2012 Just Contemporary Reading Challenge

2011-12-19T00:01:00.005-05:00

0/5 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Just Contemporary Reading Challenge
Hosts : Books From Bleh to Basically Amazing
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read books that fall into the contemporary genre.
Levels: Two; I am going to try for the first level: Just read SOME contemporary books. I am going to make my personal goal 5.
Prizes? Yes, TBA
Link Your Reviews: Yes, weekly linkups will be available
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I always say contemporary is so NOT my genre, and that's true. Very true.

Until I look at my TBR and realize I actually have a lot of contemporaries I want to read! So hopefully this challenge will help me get to them.

Some books I'm considering:

Books from my Contemporary Goodreads shelf.

I'd especially like to get to:

How to Take the Ex-Out of Ex-Boyfriend by Janette Rallison
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Kate Stephanie Strohm
The Fourth Stall, Part II by Chris Rylander

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading? Do you have any suggestions that I absolutely MUST read? I like funny and romantic contemporaries.

2012 E-Book Challenge

2011-12-18T00:01:00.003-05:00

0/20 books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge
Hosts : The Eclectic Bookshelf
Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Read e-books.
Levels: Four; I am going to try for the third level: 20 e-books
Prizes? None that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I get a lot of e-books for review, but I don't have an e-reader so a lot of them expire before I can get to them. I'm hoping this challenge will help give me a little extra motivation to stare at my computer screen for hours and actually read the e-galleys I get.

Books Completed:

Have you signed up for this challenge? What books are you planning on reading?

2012 Finishing the Series Challenge

2011-12-17T00:01:00.004-05:00

0/TBD books

0/TBD books

How do you make a progress bar?

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Finishing the Series Challenge
Hosts : Socrates' Book Reviews

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Finish a series you have already started.
Levels: Three. I am going to try for the first level: Finish one series, but if I only have to read 2 or fewer books to finish the series, I'm going to try for level 2: Finish two series.

Prizes? Not that I see
Sign up page

Why I'm Interested:

I have a few series that I've started, but for whatever reason I never finished them. I'd like to try to finish them in 2012.

Some books I'm considering:

The Spook's Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney
The Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo
The Pendragon Adventure series by D. J. MacHale
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
The Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian

Books Completed:

The Big Challenge Wrap Up + Small News

2011-12-16T00:01:00.007-05:00

So how did I do?

2011 was my first year for participating in reading challenges. Always a subscriber to the "more is more" philosophy, I signed up for a whopping 11 challenges! But signing up for challenges is easy. It's the actual reading books and finishing the challenges that's the hard part. So how did I do?

Gothic Reading Challenge

8/10 books

Goal: Level 3, read 10 books
Did I finish? No, sadly I did not.
How did I do if I squint a little? Pretty good! I read 8 books and by the end of December I will mostly likely finish one more. So 9 out of 10 isn't too shabby. I can totally squint and call this one a win.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

Off the Shelf Challenge

5/15 books

Goal: Level 2, read 15 books
Did I finish? Hahahahaha, no.
How did I do if I squint a little? I can't even squint and get away with this one. BUT! I did read 33 books I acquired during 2011, so that's 33 books that could have gone unread on my shelves but didn't! I count that as a personal win, even if it doesn't really count for the challenge.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

350 Page Books Challenge

10/10 +24 books

Goal: Read 10 books
Did I finish? Heck yes! I DOMINATED this challenge! I am a 350 page reading champion. I laugh in the face of my fear of large books. And by the end of December, I should even have a few more chunksters to add to the list.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

YA Historical Fiction Challenge

15/15 +12 books

Goal: Level 3, read 15 books
Did I finish? Yep, I am a YA historical fic reading machine! The Historical Fantasy Jubilee helped me cross off a bunch of books for this challenge.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

Most Awaited YA Releases Challenge

12/12 +33 books

Goal: Read 12 books
Did I finish? Oh yeah, I OWNED this one. Then again, Me + My penchant for instant gratification + 2011 being a year of awesome releases = Easy challenge to finish.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

2nds Challenge

12/12 +11 books

Goal: Read 12 books
Did I finish? Yay, another win! I'm surprised because I wasn't expecting to do very well with this one. I'm also happily surprised that ten of them aren't even sequels.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

Into the Old World Reading Challenge

10/10 +11 books

Goal: Read 10 books
Did I finish? I totally rocked it! I'm very pleased with this challenge. I was able to cross a lot of books off my TBR that have been sitting there for, obviously, YEARS. I'm really happy I knocked out the Percy Jackson series, plus two of the books I ended up reading were even on my goal list for this challenge (though most of them were not!)

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

Wish I'd Read That Challenge

20/20 +5 books

Goal: Level 4, read 20 books
Did I finish? Score! This was another challenge that got me to cross off a lot of books from my TBR. This was an easy challenge, too, because most of the books were crossovers with the Into the Old World Reading Challenge.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

2011 Debut Author Challenge

12/12 +15 books

Goal: Read 12 books
Did I finish? Yes I did! With books to spare! 2011 was a great year for debuts.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

Library Reading Challenge

40 books

Goal: There didn't seem to be a goal.
Did I finish? I guess? Since there wasn't a goal I can't technically "finish" but I did read 40 books from the library and I'm working on a few more that I should be finished with this month. I think that's pretty good.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

YA Series Challenge

20/30 books

Goal: Level 6, read 23-30 books
Did I finish? Nope, fail! Looks like I bit off more than I could chew with this one.
How did I do if I squint a little? If I look at the low end of 23 books, then I was only three off. I guess that's not so bad! I'm really happy I can finally mark the Percy Jackson series as read in full.

Click to see the books I read for this challenge.

All said and done?

I'd say I did pretty good! I entered 11 challenges and completed 8 of them, most with way more books read than I needed. I am proud of myself. I think the trick is to sign up for challenges that allow crossovers. I got a lot of mileage out of some of the books I read.

Now I'm looking forward to 2012's challenges! If you thought 11 challenges were a lot, I went even more overboard for 2012! From tomorrow until the end of December I will have a new challenge sign-up post each day (and sometimes two per day!) Yeah, that's a lot of challenges.

Small News:

I will also be on a slight hiatus from tomorrow until the end of the month. By "slight" I mean I am going to try to ignore my computer and actually get some work done (like, preparing for January's Busting the Newbie Blues and its sister event Busting the Big Blogger Blues!), but you know me and self-control...

What to expect in January:

Busting the Newbie Blues and Busting the Big Blogger Blues!
Reviews, WoWs, IMM, No More Waiting!, discussions, and recaps--so if you're not a blogger, there should still be enough "business as usual" going on for you throughout the month.
Submissions open for the next Review Comparison
No Spotlight Lists in January (they'll be back in February)
Two additional Tips & Tricks posts
The debut of a new book-related feature.

What to expect in February:

Business as usual, mostly.
I'll be trying out a new schedule in February, but don't worry, I'm mostly just shuffling things around to better accommodate my busier schedule.

How about you? Did any of you participate in any 2011 challenges? Did you participate in any of the same challenges I did? How did you do? What strategies worked for you? Are you planning on tackling any challenges in 2012?

Spotlight List: The Giant List of 2011 Recommendations (GP)

2011-12-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

Looking for another list?

I am also guest posting today at The Happy Booker!

Spotlight List: The Giant List of 2011 Recommendations (7)

2011-12-15T18:00:00.001-05:00

I made a really big list

I'm a list maker, as is probably pretty obvious by this feature. So of course I HAD to make an end-of-the-year list recapping all of the books I read in 2011. It's like a snapshot of reviews, but you can click on the titles to go to my full reviews.

I broke this up into seven posts (plus a guest post) that will go up throughout the day. Settle in, this is going to be a long one!

The Specialist Special Shelf

The elite section of the Special Shelf. These are the books that I pull off the shelf when I want to visit old friends and favorite scenes. These are the type of books I am constantly searching for and treasure when I find them. If the house was burning down, these are the books I'd be saving. They may not be perfect books, but they're perfect for me.

StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Spies, thievery, blackmail, shifting alliances, secret organizations, and court intrigue set in a snowed-in castle. YES MORE PLEASE!

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (review to come)
Why did I wait so long to read this?!

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder (review to come)
Post-apocalyptic fantasy is my new favorite genre.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (review to come)
Assassins, court intrigue, and hate-turned-love romance. I am SO glad this is going to be a trilogy!

Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
Historical fiction done exactly how I want it. I RAGED, and cried, and wanted to reach in and hug Selene because I was so happy and proud!

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell
SO much more than I was expecting. I could talk about this book for hours.

Catspaw by Joan D. Vinge
A re-read of an old favorite. Cat is one of my absolute favorite characters ever.

Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Beautiful. Absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. Taggle!

The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren
LOVE! Every. Single. Thing.

Which books made your Specialist Special Shelf in 2011? Have you read any of these? What did you think of them?

But wait! What did I think about all those other 2011 reads? Follow along to find out and weigh in on your own 2011 reads!
Part 1

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Part 5
Part 6
Guest post!

Spotlight List: The Giant List of 2011 Recommendations (6)

2011-12-15T16:00:00.001-05:00

I made a really big list

A cut above

These are the books that, for some reason or another, stood out for me. I enjoyed them while I was reading, they stayed with me after I finished, and they left me wanting more. Good writing, characters that clicked with me, plots that captured me, whatever it is, they each have something I can point to and say, "This book is a cut above." I want to own these ASAP.

My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (review to come)
These vampires could sparkle and I would STILL pee my pants in fear. Approach this one as if it were an old folktale or legend.

The Revenant by Sonia Gensler
Color me surprised when I discovered this is a ghost story! And a great one at that.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (review to come)
Quests, battles, shifting loyalties, intriguing world building, and a MC I couldn't help but love.

Master and Commander (#1-3) by Patrick O'Brian (review to come)
Two of my favorite characters OF ALL TIME.

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
High fantasy, brothers in arms, battle, mystery, and a totally platonic hate-turned-friendship relationship totally hooked me. I like the dog, too. Sequel, please?

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Horrible events + crazy people + dystopian + survival story = I CAN'T STOP READING!

Enclave by Ann Aguirre
I would slay zombies with Deuce and Fade in a heartbeat. Or, ok, I'd cower in a corner and watch them slay zombies, but it would still be awesome.

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown
Pictures and words have never been so perfectly matched. Totally absorbing.

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
Beautiful and evocative. Can we please have more fairy tale retellings like this?

Where I Want to Be by Adele Griffin
Gutted me. Totally gutted me, and I appreciated every second of it.

The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
I could talk for days about all of the discussion points packed in this tiny book. Even more fantastically amazing for its lack of preaching.

Tighter by Adele Griffin
The perfect retelling: No need to have read the original, but if you have, then you'll have a ton of fun spotting all the references.

Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Less action and humor than the first, but I appreciated the time spent delving into the characters and the emotional fallout of book 1.

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
Separate or together, Will and Alona rock.

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
All of the awesome potential was finally realized.

Which books were a cut above for you in 2011? Have you read any of these? What did you think of them?

But wait! What did I think about all those other 2011 reads? Follow along to find out and weigh in on your own 2011 reads!
Part 1

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Part 5
Part 7
Guest post!

Spotlight List: The Giant List of 2011 Recommendations (5)

2011-12-15T14:00:00.001-05:00

I made a really big list

I'd read that again

I'd love to own a copy so I can do a reread, but I'm not going out of my way to buy one right now (but, remember, I'm a miser). I definitely want to read more by these authors.

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Gwen, Daphne, Logan, Vic (the talking sword), I have a lot of love for these characters. I also have a lot of love for the smorgasbord of desserts mentioned.

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
A lot of fun...but they're no Harry Potter. *hides*

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
It took way too long to get to the good stuff, but I was hooked once I got there.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
An atmospheric story told by a true storyteller. I only wish I swooned more for the romantic lead.

Betrayal by Lee Nichols
Still loving Emma, the house ghosts, the Rake, and scary ghost attacks. Still not loving Bennett.

Entwined by Heather Dixon
Way. Too. Long. Didn't like the MC, but I appreciated the focus on family.

The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope (review to come)
Not the twisty Gothic tale I was hoping for, but still a nice (if overly easy) story.

My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond
Sweet messages with a funny narrator and surprisingly inventive plot.

Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Little Women: The Edition Hilariously Annotated by a Modern Teenager

Ward Against Death by Melanie Card
Fresh and fun, with characters I liked. This is one that has me on impatient sequel watch. (I also never fail to snicker every time I read the pun-tastic title).

Just Your Average Princess by Kristina Springer
You don't get much sweeter than this, and I'm not talking about the pumpkin lattes (yum!)

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
It took me a really long time to warm up to this tale, but eventually we clicked (even if the MC totally misses the potential of secret passageways).

Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer
This ended way too soon and before any of the good stuff (you know, the romance). But what was there was really good.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (review to come)
Holy basement scene!

Which books were those middle books that you liked and would read again? Have you read any of these? What did you think of them?

But wait! What did I think about all those other 2011 reads? Follow along to find out and weigh in on your own 2011 reads!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Part 6
Part 7
Guest post!

Spotlight List: The Giant List of 2011 Recommendations (4)

2011-12-15T11:00:00.003-05:00

I made a really big list

Fun!

Looking for a good laugh? Look no further. These books are just plain fun.

Ditched by Robin Mellom (review to come)
I laughed, I commiserated, I laughed some more. This is the book version of the high school romantic comedy movie.

Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan (review to come)
Don't judge this book by it's awful cover. Really.

The Iron Druid series (#1-2) by Kevin Hearne
Hilarious. Absolutely HILARIOUS. I just...I can't even begin to describe how much I laughed.

Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took the Really Long Nap by Wendy Mass
Rapunzel, the One with All the Hair by Wendy Mass (review to come)
Cute and funny, with surprisingly sweet messages. Rapunzel was better.

Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
I never warmed up to the MC, but I was too busy laughing to care. An absurd, tongue-in-cheek take on fairy tales.

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander
The mystery, the Voice, the entire concept! This was fresh and fun.

Princess for Hire series (#1-2) by Lindsey Leavitt
It took me until the second book to really warm up to the MC, but I was immediately entranced with the pink sparkly world of princess subbing. I mean, pink sparkly princess subbing! Sign me up for that!

Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman
Sure "girl pretends to be boy" isn't exactly a new idea, but Gehrman gave it a fresh twist by writing scenes so funny I actually had to put the book down so I could laugh for a good few minutes.

Which books made you laugh in 2011? Have you read any of these? What did you think of them?

But wait! What did I think about all those other 2011 reads? Follow along to find out and weigh in on your own 2011 reads!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Guest post!

Spotlight List: The Giant List of 2011 Recommendations (3)

2011-12-15T08:00:00.004-05:00

I made a really big list

I'm glad I read it, but I'm moving on now

The books I enjoyed reading, but probably won't read again and they did not spark a strong urge to read any more of the authors' works. These are the "nice" books, ya know what I mean?

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
Short and sweet. For best results, approach as a light fairy tale.

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler
Cute, but solidly on the younger end of MG.

Fateful by Claudia Gray
I had some fun, got a few eyeroll sprains, and that was that.

A Dog's Way Home by Bobbie Pyron
A dog story for kids who like dog stories, but nothing that stood out for me. I'm still sore about chapter 20.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
That date that kinda intrigued me, but mostly just weirded me out. Also, weenie boy.

Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman (review to come)
Funny, but could have been funnier. Points for inventiveness.

Clean by Amy Reed
If I were a drug user, I totally would have raided a stash of happy pills to make it through. Realistic, but what a downer.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
Fun and original, if not very deep. The slay-fest at the end makes the whole book worth reading.

Clarity by Kim Harrington
Loved the premise, liked the mystery, was iffy on the MC, and didn't swoon over either love interest.

Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
An Arthurian verse novel that this verse-novel-hating reader actually enjoyed...even if I still wish it had been written like a real book. Don't expect the traditional story, either.

Warped by Maurissa Guibord
My dog died and this book totally fell flat. Was it the book or my mental state at the time? I'm thinking a mix of both.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
Meghan pretended to be Bella Swan from her New Moon depression days and I tried not to barf. Still love Grimalkin and the guys, plus bonus points for IRONHORSE.

Most Wanted by Kate Thompson
Totally MG, but a fun look at the day a bat-poop crazy Roman emperor died.

Slayers by C. J. Hill
Fun premise and great dragon mythology. Too bad I couldn't get into the third person narrative, shallow characters, and silly romance.

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
More balls and faerie wars. Fewer dirty, starving orphans. Thanks.

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
Funny and filled with a multitude of ways to refer to bra-stuffing, but not terribly original as far as Mean Girls stories go.

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau
Too MG for me, but sweet.

Deadly by Julie Chiabbaro
More MG than YA, this one reminded me of an American Girl book.

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford
I want a scarier and more original ghost story, but this was still decent. Except for the Pail Scene. I HATE the Pail Scene.

Which books were those middle books for you in 2011? Have you read any of these? What did you think of them?

But wait! What did I think about all those other 2011 reads? Follow along to find out and weigh in on your own 2011 reads!
Part 1
Part 2

Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Guest post!