A Word to my "Sponsors"

...or readers, or friends, or folks who stumble upon this URL...

Anyhoo...
Basically, I haven't been the best blogger, and I think I lost a lot of ground and stamina, going from posting at least once a day to...hardly at all.
I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to keep blogging or what the future of this site would be, and I let that kind of freak me out. The bottom line is, I turned into a bit of a drama queen with all the uncertainties and insecurities and ETC ETC.
But reading and having literary discussions with you guys has been one of the big highlights of the past year, and I'd be insane to give that up. Sure, it kinda sucks to write a post that you think is super cool, that ends up not getting a lot of feedback. But I can't do anything about that. All I can do is comment on other blogs and do my share, and love this site.
And I do.
We're all here because we're passionate about literature, and we love talking books. There are some sites I visit every day because it's become part of my routine, like, "ohh, I need to check so-and-so's site--I wonder what they've read recently."

So thanks for keeping this site afloat, and thanks for sticking around!
I love you all - now have a cookie on me! Oh, and if you've read Saving Francesca or Jellicoe Road recently, have a cookie AND a brownie!

And starring books as themselves

Just a collection of inspirational pictures, with a "book" theme
:)

Review - SAVING FRANCESCA

Saving Francesca - Melina Marchetta

Genre: YA Fiction by Melina Marchetta*
*Yes, Melina Marchetta's books are such cuts above the rest, they get their own GENRE on my site!
# of pages: 243 (US pb)
Publisher: Knopf, Random House
Recommended for: HS & Beyond

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastians, a boys' school that's pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.
Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself

Saving Francesca is my third Melina Marchetta novel, and even though I'm glad I read Jellicoe Road first - mainly because of all the subtle in-text similarities between the two - I can't help but wonder if I'd have liked Francesca better if I'd read it first.
First off, I think this book proves that Melina Marchetta is perhaps the *best* (if not certainly one of the best) young adult writers out there. Not only is she a master storyteller and character creator, she's a mighty fine technical writer. Her writing style is lyrical and descriptive but to the point; in other words, very hard to explain in a way that does it any justice, and hard to compare to anyone else.
Marchetta also knows how to create characters. I'm less likely to jump on the "I HEART Flawed Characters!" bandwagon, mainly because I know what I like and what I don't like, personality-wise, in characters. However, Marchetta's characters are undeniably human in that they're flawed, but they also have a soul. They have this aura of hope around them that distinguishes them from a lot of the vapid, melodramatic, TSTL characters that occupy YA fiction. I loved Francesca's narrative: she had this very insightful but precise tone that really resonated with me. I felt for her struggles, too - much of the book deals with unresolved issues with her well-meaning but domineering mother, and what happens when her mother has a depressive episode and pretty much stops functioning. The scenario sounds simple, but as SF shows, there's way more underneath the surface that needs exploring.
I can honestly say that I was engaged with the story from beginning to end.

The pacing isn't quite as fast/action-oriented as in Jellicoe, and to be honest, there were times where it didn't seem like much was happening. I did like that the story devoted more attention to the main character's emotions and relationships with those around her. This didn't really seem to be the case in Jellicoe.
Secondary characters always play a major part in Marchetta books, and the ensemble cast was full of personality and quirkiness that, in my opinion, only Marchetta can bring. However, the characters here seemed less mature than in JR, and that's something that I couldn't help but notice. I kind of crave mature teen characters and kind of rage against the immature ones.
I guess it's the love-aggravate portion in my adventures in YA Lit...
I also couldn't help but think that Frankie & Will's relationship was a bit more complicated than it needed to be...and I'm sorry to say that Will came off as a bit shallow (based on certain decisions he made throughout the book, especially close to the end). The girls, though - especially Tara and Justine - were among my favorite characters here, just bubbling with personality and uniqueness. I loved how important friendship was to the overall story, and there were many times where I got the warm and fuzzys!
Plus...the geography. I loved how much detail Marchetta put into her characters' surroundings, and how informative she was of certain story locations. I'm not from Australia, so it was like a fun geography lesson :P I had the google maps going every time she mentioned a city or suburb!

So all in all...another fine book by a writer who I think is the greatest in the genre. If you haven't read Saving Francesca yet, my suggestion is to make it a priority. If you haven't read SF or Jellicoe Road, my suggestion would be to read Jellicoe first. But I humbly recommend that you read both.

Final Grade:

It's March! March Releases to Look For!

Already March has kicked off to a great start!
I'm really looking forward to seeing these books grace the shelves of my nearest bookstore!

Dark Mirror - M.J. Putney
St. Martin's Griffin
March 1 - In stores now!

Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the Earl and
Countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she
will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status.

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if
exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family for...moreLady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status. Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted…by magic. When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.

Sean Griswold's Head - Lindsey Leavitt
Bloomsbury
March 1 - In stores now!

According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him. The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking—er, focusing on—Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

Chime - Franny Billingsley
Penguin
March 17

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment. Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

Those That Wake - Jesse Karp
Harcourt
March 21

New York City’s spirit has been crushed. People walk the streets with their heads down, withdrawing from one another and into the cold comfort of technology. Teenagers Mal and Laura have grown up in this reality. They’ve never met. Seemingly, they never will. But on the same day Mal learns his brother has disappeared, Laura discovers her parents have forgotten her. Both begin a search for their families that leads them to the same truth: someone or something has wiped the teens from the memories of every person they have ever known. Thrown together, Mal and Laura must find common ground as they attempt to reclaim their pasts.

City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
Simon & Schuster
March 31






--
I can't believe it's already COFA time already! It seemed like such a long way off when I finished City of Glass. Still deciding if I want to read Chime, but if there's one thing I never get tired of, it's magic and witches! Woohoo!
What are you looking forward to this month?

In My Mailbox [6]

In My Mailbox is hosted by the Story Siren.

So this past week was AWESOME! More awesome than usual.
Why?
Three reasons
1. My reading slump is over! I just finished Saving Francesca, the first book I'd read in a month
;)
2. I reached my personal writing goal for the week, in addition to school, work, and reading. Usually it's been an either-or between reading or writing, so it's cool that I was able to keep up with both.
3. The newest Clare Dunkle book, By These Ten Bones, just came out. SUPER LOVE. Her other book, The Hollow Kingdom, is one of my favorites ever, and I'd been waiting for this book to come out for months!

Received for Review
Angelfire - Courtney Allison Moulton
^^already en route to you, Natalie!
Sean Griswold's Head - Lindsey Leavitt
^ a little birdie told me this book is *full* of "Seinfeld" references. The awesome chart can't even begin to record the awesomeness.

Special thanks to Harper Teen and Bloomsbury USA

Bought
By These Ten Bones - Clare Dunkle

What did you guys get this week?

Review - DEADLY

Deadly - Julie Chibbaro
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: Atheneum, Simon & Schuster

A mysterious outbreak of typhoid fever is sweeping New York.

Could the city’s future rest with its most unlikely scientist?

If Prudence Galewski is ever going to get out of Mrs. Browning’s esteemed School for Girls, she must demonstrate her refinement and charm by securing a job appropriate for a young lady. But Prudence isn’t like the other girls. She is fascinated by how the human body works and why it fails.

With a stroke of luck, she lands a position in a laboratory, where she is swept into an investigation of the fever bound to change medical history. Prudence quickly learns that an inquiry of this proportion is not confined to the lab. From ritzy mansions to shady bars and rundown tenements, she explores every potential cause of the disease. But there’s no answer in sight—until the volatile Mary Mallon emerges. Dubbed “Typhoid Mary” by the press, Mary is an Irish immigrant who has worked as a cook in every home the fever has ravaged. Strangely, though, she hasn’t been sick a day in her life. Is the accusation against her an act of discrimination? Or is she the first clue in a new scientific discovery?

At any one point in time, I have an appetite for chocolate truffles, pears, Feta cheese, and YA historical fiction novels. I never get enough historical fiction!
And Deadly certainly didn't disappoint. The setting (NY in the early 20th century) was brought to life by Julie's highly descriptive and thoroughly researched writing style. It seemed as though old New York was a character in itself. I pulled up pictures taken by Jacob Riis and others just to get a visual on the world of Prudence and her family and friends. Even the subject was unique and highly original. I cannot for the life of me think of another historical fiction book I've read that deals with stopping an epidemic. The historical context of Deadly centers around Prudence's work with the Department of Sanitation and their attempt to solve the mystery surrounding an outbreak of typhoid. This was certainly a highly researched, highly entertaining look into a chapter in American history often skipped over or missed altogether. My copy even included medical sketches and other information recorded by the character, which really added to the richness and authenticity of the story.
Even the most interesting historical fiction books often run the risk of sounding like fanciful textbooks. Each of the characters were real and sympathetic, and Julie especially does justice to the representation of 'Typhoid' Mary, a historical figure I'd always read about to be vindictive and harmful. She definitely created a complex, highly engaging story that had me reevaluating the history context and what I'd always assumed to be 'true.' And I guess that was the most memorable part of Deadly - what I got out of it. It's a book that literally came to life through its ability to transport me back in time. I definitely felt for Prudence, a girl who was, at the very least, ahead of her time, and it was fun to watch her grow in confidence and determination. You'll not want to miss Deadly, if you're even a modest fan of historical fiction. If you enjoy medical mysteries, or just like reading about strong, resolute girls who overcome obstacles, give this a try too!

Final Rating:

Review - DARKNESS BECOMES HER

Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters, #1) - Kelly Keaton
Genre: YA Paranormal
# 0f pages:
Publisher: Simon Pulse, Simon & Schuster
Releases TODAY!

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued. She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her. Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

Remember in the good ol' 90s, how there were all those mythology inspired movies and TV shows? "Xena," "Hercules, "Young Hercules," the Disney movie Hercules, the "Odyssey" miniseries... now it seems like we're picking up on that trend. There was that new Clash of the Titans from last year, and there are at least two myth/gods-inspired movies that will come out soon... 2005's The Lightning Thief seemed to start the mythology trend in YA fiction and the rest of the Percy Jackson books followed close behind. Other books dealing with mythology have been published (off the top of my head, I can't think of any other Greek ones, lol)
And now...Darkness Becomes Her, the first book in the Gods and Monsters series from Kelly Keaton. There was so much action and butt-kicking in this book, I had to read it with a heating pad on my tush. You know how it's been mentioned that some books are a little "same song, second verse?" or even "same song, same chorus"? Well, if the mythology trend continues, you might feel that way about some myth book in the future. Chances are you will find Darkness Becomes Her a highly original and exciting thrill ride. I sure did.
The story world of this novel is so incredibly fascinating and richly detailed. Set in the near future, the city of New Orleans as we know it no longer exists: instead, it has been turned into New 2, a privately-controlled location with a reputation as a safe haven for paranormals. Keaton excels at bringing the world of New 2 to life in all its old-world, ethereal and dangerous glory.
I have to say, the rich descriptions and highly engaging writing style is what *made* the book for me.
Ari was an interesting main character to follow. For one, she's tough as nails and pretty mature for her age. When your newest foster parents are bail bondsmen, I'd think you'd have to have a strong personality. Sometimes, though, she had a tendency to really overreact. Like, she's the kind of character who goes from like 0 to 60 in the snap of a finger. Halfway into the book I just wanted to reach into the novel and hand her some Lithium or something, like "calm down, girl!" But she goes through a heckuvalot over the course of the story, and I admired that she wasn't a wussy character. And it was nice to read a book and *not* be able to guess what was about to happen next.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the extreme and repetitious profanity. HOWEVER, I read an ARC copy and I have been told that a lot of it had been edited out for the final product. So I don't know how much or how little ended up in the final book, but just be advised, if that's something that is meaningful to you.
Ultimately, Darkness Becomes Her was a very entertaining and high-action novel that I would recommend to fantasy/paranormal lovers and YA fans in general. I'm interested to see where the story will go from here :)

Final Grade: