Discussion & List: The Joy of Book Two

I have a love/hate relationship with series, but today I'm going to focus on the positive and gush about my explosive love for series, particularly book two.

Starting a series is great with all of its first-date suspense, hope, and possibilities. Few things come close to the delicious anticipation of wondering if I'll fall head over heels for this book and open a brand new chapter of awesomeness in my life.

Life was never the same

And then, if the stars align and everything comes together perfectly, then there's the wait for the second book. And, yeah, it's excruciating. But it's also kind of fun because even though I have to wait, I KNOW there will be a big payoff when the time comes due.

Plus, since it's only the second book, so I know I can read the book without all the sadness that comes along with reading the last book in the series when you know it's really The End.

It's like Christmas, or my birthday. Sure they only come once a year, but when they DO come, they're filled with piles of presents and tons of tasty food and general wonderfulness. And the best part is, I know these things are coming. I can rely on that guaranteed happiness, even if I have to wait a whole year for it.

And we get to do this EVERY year!

The second book in a series is often a dangerous thing, fraught with all sorts of peril like series stretching and the introduction of the dreaded Secondary Love Interest. Usually, second books scare the life out of me.

This didn't work out well for anyone

BUT, every rare once in a while a first book is so incredible, so special, so perfect that I KNOW the next book will be nothing short of chocolate fudge levels of perfection.

(Of course I'm still a little afraid I'll experience a crushing blow if the book doesn't live up to my super high expectations, but shhh, I'm pretending that isn't even a fraction of a possibility. Because, I just, I cannot fathom that reality.)

I've had my heart crushed way too many times by book disappointment, so I don't let my heart run wild after just any old book. I'm picky and jaded and I don't want to be hurt again.

 So this is my teeny tiny list of sequels I've allowed myself to throw all caution to the wind and fall madly in love with the mere idea of their existence.

They'd better live up.

Fair warning: There be (tiny) spoilers for the first books here!

The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke
sequel to The Pirate's Curse

The first book hit pretty much all of my marks for a Special Shelf book with its sleepover friend paragon of a main character, sizzling hate-turned-love romance, and heaps of fantasy peril and action. The ending left off with the potential for an even more excitement-filled quest to come, and if the strength of the first book is any indication, The Pirate's Curse is going to set a new high in quest-fantasy.

I'm banking on The Pirate's Wish having all that, and more. Namely, I want more sizzle in the romance. Sure it was pretty close to perfect in the first book, but I felt like Naji was holding out in that department a little. He's a little too closed off and mysterious, so I'm hoping book two sheds a little more light on his, presumably, growing feelings for Ananna.

An 11th hour name change wouldn't hurt, either (I mean, Naji?? I'm still not over it).

The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen
sequel to The False Prince

The idea of basking in Sage's presence is enough for me. I don't even care all that much what he's doing.

But, I'd prefer if he were scheming and manipulating and being cheeky about it all like he was in The False Prince. The blurb gives me hope that there will be a good dose of twistyness mixed with clever plotting and murder (always good for a book, I think).

I like that the blurb makes it sound like Sage has matured and gotten all responsible in The Runaway King (I always love a Capable Guy), but I'm hoping his signature sass hasn't been completely set aside. Also, a little more development of that barely-there distrustful romance would be fantastic. But just a smidgen.

The only thing I'm really not jumping for joy over is the name change. I read the blurb three times thinking, "Who the heck is Jaron?!" before I realized that, oh yeah, that's Sage's real name. But, pfft. He'll always be Sage to me.

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy
sequel to The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

I can't stop recommending The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. Adults, kids, teens, tweens—I've even made the elderly whip out their magnifiers and read that book. My pitch is simple: Do you like to laugh? Well then, do I have a book for you!

I'm expecting nothing less out of Christopher Healy's follow up. The cover and blurb are certainly worthy and I have no doubt the author is up to the task. So, my expectations? Super high. But my fears the book might not fulfill those expectations? Practically zero. I have total confidence, Mr. Healy.

I don't really have doubts or hopes for this sequel. Not like the other books. In this case, I just hope The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle is filled with all of the same characters (and maybe a few new ones, too. Evil villainS? Plural? Yessssss) and that they're acting exactly like themselves. And, ok, maybe it would be cute to see the rearranged couples pair up a little more solidly, but that isn't a requirement at all.

Biggest reason I'm crossing my fingers in hopeful anticipation? I desperately want Bronson Pinchot to record an audiobook version.

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
sequel to Grave Mercy

I know this book is following different characters from the main duo in Grave Mercy, but I'm kind of okay with that. Don't get me wrong, I loved Ismae and Duvall, but I'm all about the slow burn romance and that ship has sailed for them already. When the romance comes together in book one, all book two usually offers is conflict and third parties. Or sappy, spark-less tru wuv. Either way, no thank you!

So I'm all over the idea of keeping the awesome world of assassin nuns, gods of death, and courtly intrigue but turning the focus on two new love interests. Sybella is even more distrustful and prickly than Ismae, so I'm not expecting any kind of instalove nonsense out of her. In fact, the only instalove I'm pretty certain about is the love I have for Sybella, and I can't wait to get to know her even more.

My only fear? I wasn't IN LOVE with Sybella's soon-to-be-main-squeeze. So, yeah, I'm worried I won't be feeling this romance the way I was with Duvall. But I trust Robin, so I'm not too worried. Plus, I'm sure I'll be plenty distracted with all of the historical fantasy world building and political intrigue.

Also, Sybella. I really have fallen in instalove.

What about you?

What series are you SO in love with that you just KNOW the second book will be complete perfection for you?

Do you have any hopes or fears for them?

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Discussion: When to post a review

This post is not going to make me look good. I'm admitting fatal flaws, the deadly sins of book people. You know nice Small? Yeah, this is my Tiny Terror side.


So, way back when I got my very first ARCs, courtesy of NetGalley, I was, to put it bluntly, very impressed with the fact that I was reading books, like, MONTHS before everyone else on the planet got to read them. I was freaking awesome!

Delusions of grandeur? Who, me?

So, of course, I felt it was my sworn duty to bring word of these books to the unwashed masses. Publication date in ten months from now? Pfft, you need to know NOW, and *I* need to be the one to tell you. God forbid SOMEONE ELSE beats me to the punch.

Move aside, lady, I have books I need to share with the world!

But then I realized something. As a reader, I really kind of hate reading reviews for books that are MONTHS away from publication. And let's not even talk about how long I'd have to wait for a copy to come into the library (and don't get me started on hold lists).

I'm an impatient AND forgetful person, so it doesn't really work for me when I read a review about a book that's TOTALLY AWESOME AND EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT!!!!!!!....when it comes out FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. 

Waiting does NOT fill me with happy feelings

So this is why I no longer post reviews for books until AFTER the book has been published (usually. I don't account for time zone differences and foreign sales. Also, sometimes scheduling conflicts come up. But I do TRY).

This way, when I write a spectacular review and you're all GIVE ME THAT BOOK RIGHT NOW!! you can actually get that book RIGHT NOW!

Rarely do I even manage to COOK half the batch, let alone wait for them to cool. Especially when it comes to cookie dough...

NO MORE WAITING!

What about you? Do you care if a book is available NOW when you read a review? Do you mind if you have to wait? What is the earliest you like to read reviews? Does it bother you that I wait until after a book has been published (am I SO yesterday?) If you're a blogger, how early do you post your reviews?

.

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Discussion: Are you addicted to books?

There are certain events that are so important or well known that they can be referenced and pretty much everyone knows what you're talking about.

The main character was about as honest as Bill Clinton here.

That plotline floats about as well as the Titanic!

If the author gives me *THAT* kiss it will be as awesome as having Christmas every day!

You understood what I was saying, right? 

But for book obsessed people, we have our own set of shared memories.

The romantic lead doesn't give the MC bread or anything, but he'll still appeal to Sensitive Guy fans.

The scene was almost as devastating as when Dumbledore, well, you know what.

I'm not even going to try to pick ONE reference...

Now, WE all get these references, but how many non-book people would? (Ok, ok, maybe I could throw out a "One does not simply walk into Mordor" and people would get that...probably...some people). But, yeah, not everyone would get what you're saying.

And every once in a while I slip and make a book reference to a non-book person and the resulting blank stare usually leads to an at least somewhat awkward situation.

And just such an event happened to me the other day!


I came home from buying clothes and was showing my fiance what I bought. I got to this jacket:

and he looked at me and said (and I paraphrase):

"Meh, it looks nice, but the sleeves are kind of puffy and that's weird."

To which my jaw dropped to the ground and I struggled to inhale a proper breath in the face of this SERIOUS affront! Because, PUFFED SLEEVES ARE SACRED!

That's right, feel the awesome.

You do NOT diss puffed sleeves. You just don't. Even if you don't particularly like puffed sleeves (blasphemer), it is imperative that they are still treated with the reverence they deserve. 

But, of course he had no clue why I was reacting as if he had stomped on a puppy AND insulted my mother. My eventual explanation of the severity of his offense, which I could coherently (ok, semi-coherently) explain only after multiple deep breaths, did nothing to help my "try not to look crazy" cause.

But, whatever, *I* respect the importance of puffed sleeves, and I know my fellow Anne of Green Gables fans will have my back on this one. 

So, there you have it—how my book obsession manifests itself. How about you? 

How do you know you're addicted to books? But wait! Don't tell ME. Tell Alison at Alison Can Read for a chance to win a bookish prize!

Do you reference or incorporate important book events into your daily speech? (You can tell me that one)

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Discussion: The Dark Side of Blogging

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:

• Steph Su Reads
• Presenting Lenore
• The Compulsive Reader
• Persnickety Snark
• The Story Siren

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?

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

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):

• Dreamy Blog Designs
• Blogging Bella Designs
• KD Designs
• Parajunkee Design
• The Cutest Blog on the Block: Custom Designs
• Designer Blogs
• Smitten Blog Designs

Free backgrounds:

• The Cutest Blog on the Block
• Hot Bliggity Blog
• Shabby Blogs
• Free Blogger 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"?

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Write these historical fantasies, please??

I'm a more is more kind of person, so when it comes to historical fantasy, I want, well, MORE! Some subjects seem to be waaaay underrepresented, and some may be there, but I want more books on the subject.

The following is my list of five historical fantasy topics I want authors to write more books about.

Arabian horse races

Remember the movie Hidalgo? I adore it. The excitement of the race, the bond between the man and his loyal horse, and the perils of the Arabian desert have completely captured my heart and left me dying for more (and, ok, casting Viggo in the lead didn't hurt either). Now imagine all of that, but with magical ancient curses. Even better, right?

Unearthing Ancient Egypt

Movies have again made me pine for books with the mix of magic and history found in The Mummy. The main character is even a librarian! A YA book series was practically meant to be.

Setting a story in actual Ancient Egypt would be great, but I also love how the Mummy movies took place in the 1920s. It's still historical, but it focuses on the unearthing of all the ancient ruins and totally satisfies my deep love of both snooping and finding treasure.

Now just give me a roguish romantic interest that I can picture looking like Brendan Fraser and I'll be pre-ordering those babies faster than you can say "Don't open that canopic jar!"

(And yes, I know this is pretty much exactly what I'm getting with the Theodosia series by R.L. LaFevers. But I want more!)

The American West

Dean Winchester isn't the only one who would jump at the chance to time travel into the old American West. The gunslingers, the showdowns, the beautiful uncharted terrirory, the unbridled masculinity--sign me up! The only thing that could possibly improve upon this formula is magic, and I, for one, think I could do with a little more Wild West Magic in my life.

Ancient Greece

I know, I know, we're totally saturated with Greek gods, but that's not what I'm looking for here. I'm thinking focusing more on the political scheming, the battles between Greece's city states and her foreign enemies...but now add in magic. NOT magic from the gods, but magic weilded by the people of Greece.

Just think of how fantasy elements could turn the awesome level of the Peloponnesian War up to 11? Still doubt me? Look at the movie 300 to see how the Battle of Thermopylae was improved with the addition of fantasty elements

(and no, I'm not referring to the presence of all those half naked men running around, though I'm certainly not complaining and I'm sure they have been the subject of many a fantasy!)

Ancient Rome

Again, I'm not looking for the intervention of deities here. Rome offers even more opportunities for magical use with all of those political murders going on. Just think of how the presence of magic expands an assassin's arsenal! And you could totally use magical powers (or the exposure of such powers) to do some dastardly scheming and blackmailing behind the scenes, too. And the battles! I'm telling you, there is massive potential here.

So authors, can you get started on these? Pretty please?

How about all of you? What historical fantasy settings or fantasy elements do you want authors to write about?

Ruby has some requests of her own. Check them out!

Have you entered to win our prize pack giveaways?

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Discussion: Are you a genre slob or stickler?

From the back cover of Kat, Incorrigible

When Ruby and I decided to organize an event for the genre historical fantasy, one of the very first questions we grappled with was, "What exactly IS historical fantasy?"

Um, shouldn't we have known this already, considering we were organizing an event around that very subject?

Yeah, well, it's harder to define than you might think! Sure, some books like Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis or Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle are obvious choices because they:

1) Take place in REAL historical settings,

and

2) Include magic

Which pretty much sums up historical fantasy right there. 

But what about when the elements of the book are a little less defined?

The magical aspects are pretty cut and dry (is it fantastical in some way? Yes? It counts!), but the historical part can get a little tricky.

Take, for example, books like The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson or Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore, where the setting is a made up world, but it is based heavily upon real historical customs and cultural elements. Does that count, or no?

Are you starting to see the conundrum?

The Sticker Approach

We could have gone with this approach if we wanted to be REALLY strict about our genre borders. To the Stickler, anything that doesn't have an historical setting that actually existed in history is nixed. Cultural inspiration alone isn't enough!
 

The Anything Goes Approach

This is the polar opposite of the Stickler. With the Anything Goes Approach, anything with a drop, smidgen, hint, or even allusion to a real historical event, time, culture, or custom qualifies. So that high fantasy with the medieval-like village? TOTALLY COUNTS!

Where We Drew the Line

For us, our goal was to celebrate a genre we love and bring all of you good books. So with that goal in mind, we decided to take a much more lax approach than a Stickler would, but a slightly more strict approach than an Anything Goes-er.

If a significant part of the world was based on real historical times or cultural elements--especially when those real-world influences played a significant part in the story, then we included it.

So Magic Under Glass and The Girl of Fire and Thorns are in, but "generic medieval village" high fantasies are mostly out.

What do you think? Where do you draw the line when it comes to genres? Are you a Stickler, and Anything Goes-er, or somewhere in the middle with me and Ruby?


We asked this very question of a number of authors and their responses are both varied and insightful. Stay tuned through this event to read their thoughts on the subject!

Check out what Ruby's up to today! Check out our Historical Fantasy Jubilee full schedule of events and giveaways!

Have you entered to win our prize pack giveaways?

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Discussion: Book Hype, when I hate the book

Ugh,  

book hype

We've all experienced it...

It starts out innocently enough with a few Waiting on Wednesday posts, a lucky few In My Mailbox mentions, and maybe even an early review or two.

You start to feel that communal giddiness of OMGGOODBOOKGIVEME!! and it feels great.

Like one big happy love fest of anticipation. We're all sitting in front of our computers looking like this:

Ok, maybe we look like that internally

Ha! Who are we kidding? We probably look pretty much like that externally, too.

The more time goes by, the more you hear about the book and it's always filled with massive amounts of win! The joy keeps rolling in and the community feeling is wonderful.

The anticipation grows and grows until you want the book so badly that you're practically drooling on yourself.

You might even begin to contemplate selling off a limb or a younger sibling just to get your hands on a copy. Those spasms you experience every time you open your favorite blogs and see the book? Totally normal.

But then...

THAT MARVELOUS DAY ARRIVES AND YOU CAN READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Except

erm,

maybe you don't want to read it anymore?

I don't know about you, but whenever I find myself in this position my brain starts churning out all kinds of worry.

What if I don't like the book?
Oh my gosh, everyone is going to hate me!
I'll be all alone.
The loser who didn't get it
Everyone on Amazon is going to rate my review "Not Helpful"
HOW WILL I FACE THE WORLD???

It would be like being invited to a sleepover party held by all these awesome popular girls and getting really excited because you're invited to a popular girl sleepover party! And then you go expecting it to be THE most awesome night ever that will totally define your status as cool and make the rest of your life filled with awesome.

But then you show up and realize that everyone knows each other and they have all these cool and funny stories to talk about that they all know because they were all there but you weren't there so you have NO IDEA what they're talking about.

So you have to sit there awkwardly feeling totally left out when all you really wanted was to be a part of the fun group. But no, you're alone. And the more you sit there the more you realize how totally left out you are and how you'll NEVER be a part of their crowd and they're all laughing and telling secrets and sharing inside jokes and you're just sitting there trying not to cry as you realize that you're that loser in the after school specials about cliques and

*breathe*

What I mean is, that would suck and I'd feel all left out and sad.

The other part of it is the disappointment. I mean, look at it like this: I've been sitting here for months--maybe even years--pining away for this book. First I get a blurb, then a title appears, then a cover! Each step is even more magnificent than the last.

Everything is shaping up to make this book THAT book!

And then I hate it? Nooooooo! Talk about crushing disappointment.

But!

If I don't actually read the book, then I can continue to bask in the joy of AWESOMEBOOK! I can keep feeling that happiness without any of the stress and sadness of being let down by a book everyone else loves.

So maybe this is why I still haven't read:

 

 

This is just one reaction I have to book hype, but I'll talk about those other (totally reasonable and not at all emotionally weird) reactions to book hype another time. 

In the meantime, what are some of your reactions to book hype? 

Do any of you feel like I do here, or am I ALL ALONE there too?

Don't worry, I won't cry (much) if the answer is yes, I am alone!

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