This week's question: Do you judge a book by its cover? Yes, actually, I do. Now I've read my share of "beautiful on the inside books" (I just finished one, as a matter of fact) but having pretty cover designs is what draws my attention to books, a lot of times. It's what makes me notice them in the first place.
In fact, take a look at my last post - I listed a few lucky debut authors whose books got the royal cover treatment!
Be sure to leave your link, too, so I can return the hop!
Several times before, I've mentioned how much emphasis I tend to place on...er... pretty cover designs. We all know the phrase - "don't judge a book by it's cover!" and for the most part, that's true. But it's also true that cute cover designs catch our eye... sometimes that can be what grabs our attention in the first place. Debut authors seem to get either a hit or miss when it comes to cover art, in my opinion. Some debut authors get stuck with covers that say "it's what's on the inside that counts!" And then there are other covers that seem to shout, "Look at me, I'm GORGEOUS!" So all of these books have 1 thing in common: they are all beautiful (at least, in my opinion) book covers by debut authors. Some books are from 2005, 2008, and so on, but they were each author's debut.
The Lightning Thief (2005)Everlasting (2010)Paranormalcy (2010)City of Bones (2005)I still think it looks like Anakin Skywalker on the cover! Hur-dur-dur-dur! The Iron King (2010)Beautiful Creatures (2009)Twilight (2005)Oh My Gods (Original Hardback edition, 2008) The Replacement (2010)Matched (2010)Eyes Like Stars (2009)The Hourglass DoorThe Warrior Heir (2006) The Mockingbirds (2010)Graceling (2008) Once again, all these covers are from books by debut authors. They all lucked out! Which covers impressed you the most?
Today is August 31, the day Paranormalcy releases into stores - yay! Other books are being released today, but I'm making a big deal out of this one.
So just in case you missed it, here are a few points from my review:
Paranormalcy is the newest Must Have book for the fall, a treat every teen needs to ease those back-to-school blues. The characters were all so unique, quirky and absolutely lovable. The narrator, Evie, is just about as awesome as her zebra dress and pink boots. Her voice was funny, sassy and endearing – all the ingredients needed to cook up one of the best fictional characters of 2010! It was so great to watch her grow and mature over the course of the story. Oh, Evie, I'd love for you to be real. If you thought high school was fun, just you wait until you come to college with me! :P But I can’t forget the love interest, Lend. Abso-freaking-lutely going in my Boyfriends! file. Besides being completely swoon-worthy, Lend is also an incredibly original character. Vampire? Nope. Werewolf? Uh-uh. Faerie? No way. Angel? Fuggedabadit. You’ll just have to see for yourself. And Reth… you know, I didn’t expect this to happen, but he became one of my favorite characters. His scenes were absolutely delicious. But characters aside, what impressed me the most about P was its sheer originality. I’ve read YA nearly exclusively for 2 years now, and I can honestly say that Paranormalcy was like nothing I’d ever read before. If we’re all sitting in a circle, holding hands and being honest, I thought I had this story pegged from page one. I thought I knew – because it was a “paranormal” book – what would happen in the story. Guys and girls – I wasn’t EVEN close! I can’t tell you all enough just how creative and ORIGINAL Paranormalcy is. This amazing story full of amazing characters populating an amazing world came straight out of the mind of the intensely talented Kiersten White, and I WAGER that you have not read anything like this! Evie and the world of the IPCA was so brilliantly created and put together.
From one YA lover to all of you, I guarantee you don’t want to miss this phantasmagorical thrill ride.
So go buy it! Or make plans to buy it. Or, if nothing else, put it on your TBR list!
Gone (Gone, #1) - Michael Grant Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Speculative/Dystopian (somewhat) # of pages: 558 (pb) Publisher: Harper Collins Recommended to: 14+ Gone @ Parental Book Reviews
What an awesome premise to a really cool series! Seriously, what would life be like in a society run entirely by youths? Grant reminds me a lot of Rowling and Riordan in that he successfully handles a large ensemble cast of characters. Not every series has as many crucial characters to the plot as this series. In fact, it's sometimes easier to play it safe with a small bunch of important characters, lest an author creates too many and then has a chaotic time of keeping track of them all. It surprised me how fleshed out and well-rounded everybody was. That's another point - Grant is a master at creating awesome "villains." Not only were they interesting, they were incredibly dynamic, and truth be told, I enjoyed their scenes! Like, "Woo-hoo, here come the villains!" So many well-done storytelling areas, too: just the right blend of action, romance, emotional depth, and crucial dialogue parts. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. When all the adults just "poof out," what kind of society is left? How can a bunch of kids (who are 14 at the oldest) able to survive? What I thought was cool about Michael Grant's book is the optimistic belief in the maturity of some teens and their strength to "make it." I can't wait to start the second book in the series!
Quick Say: Fans of The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and/or YA devotees in general will not want to miss this fast-paced, thrilling debut to the Gone series. Despite a little implausibility and a bit of story redundancy, Gone was definitely a "hit" with me!
Another month come and gone! It's nearly September, school is back in session, and hopefully it won't be long until we get some cool weather! I don't know about the rest of you all over the world, but I'm really ready for something cooler than 103 degrees.
August wasn't as ravenous a reading month as June or July, but I still did okay.
So here are some STATS for August! Number of Books: 4 Favorite Read: Hands down, Paranormalcy by Kiersten White. And whadaya know! Paranormalcy hits shelves TUESDAY! Least Favorite Read: This is a toughie... in terms of enjoyability alone, I'd have to say Mockingjay. I'll go into detail when I post my review, but it did not live up to the sensationalized hype, and that was a major letdown. Most Original Idea or Story World: Brenna Yovanoff's The Replacement was MADE for this category. So much originality, rich details, strong writing... very, very cool! Best Narrator/MC: Evie, Paranormalcy. She's definitely a contender for Best Narrator of the Year! Too bad she's not real - I would love to apply to be her sidekick :) Best Love Interest: Winning the title 2 months in a row...it's PEETA MELLARK! Best/Most Interesting Supporting Character: The Morrigan, The Replacement. She is just so deliciously creepy, so hideously beautiful... I twisted around this category just for her. Best Book Cast (overall characters): the cast of Gone. Michael Grant handles such a large character ensemble so fabulously. Book You Really REALLY Don't Want to Miss: Just for closure's sake, I'd say Mockingjay. But in case you haven't read Gone yet...get thee to a library or bookstore! Author I'd Love to Hang Out With: I butt into her conversations enough on twitter, but Kiersten White seems like one awesome gal who would be an excellent shopping pal. Book That Had the Greatest Impact on Me: Mockingjay. I'm still thinking about it - about how it ended, about the final leg in the Hunger Games journey, and for a book to have this much power...is awesome and unnerving at the same time.
Shout-out to the awesome Monica at The Ramblings of a Book Addict for bringing this to my attention. The list was originally compiled by Persnickety Snark: Young Adult Literature Reviews.
Monica did her list in orange, and I'm going to do mine in blue! Italicized titles are ones I have on my TBR but have yet to actually read.
OKAY, and here is where I need YOUR help! Because most of you are better in the loop on YA lit than me, I want to know which titles you have read and would recommend! Please?
1. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorceror's) Stone - J.K. Rowling
3. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
4. Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
5. Northern Lights (The Golden Compass)- Philip Pullman
(Read passages from this for my C&L class, that's why it's partially highlighted!)
6. The Truth About Forever - Sarah Dessen
7. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
8. The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
9. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
10. This Lullaby - Sarah Dessen
11. Looking for Alaska - John Green
(Partially highlighted because I read about 100 pages and had to quit. Can't freaking stand this book)
12. Just Listen - Sarah Dessen
13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
14. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
15. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
16. On the (Jellicoe Road) - Melina Marchetta
17. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
18. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling
19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
(Mom found this in my room. Freaked out. Never have gotten around to reading it again)
20. Along for the Ride - Sarah Dessen
21. Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater
22. Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
23. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
24. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
(Know what it's about but will not read)
25. Sloppy Firsts - Megan McCafferty
26. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
27. Alanna: The First Adventure - Tamora Pierce
(Ditto #24)
28. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
29. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
30. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
31. A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray
32. Tomorrow, When the War Began - John Marsden
33. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E. Lockhart
34. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
35. The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin
36. Paper Towns - John Green
37. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
38. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
39. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - Betty Smith
40. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
41. Lock and Key - Sarah Dessen
42. The Amber Spyglass - Philip Pullman
43. Evernight - Claudia Gray
44. Sabriel - Garth Nix
45. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
46. Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl
47. Forever - Judy Blume
(Hey whadaya know! It's the "Worst Freaking Book in the History of YA Lit" Nice to meet you!)
48. I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
49. Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine
50. The Princess Diaries - Meg Cabot
51. Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli
52. Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones
53. The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper
54. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
55. Saving Francesca - Melina Marchetta
56. Second Helpings - Megan McCafferty
57. Dreamland - Sarah Dessen
58. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
59. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
60. Fire - Kristin Cashore
(Known on this blog by it's subtitle: No Freaking Way, You Had Your Chance, Cashore)
61. The Chocolate War - Robert Cormier
62. Weetzie Bat - Francesca Lia Block
63. The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank
64. Looking for Alibrandi - Melina Marchetta
65. How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
66. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare
67. Keeping the Moon - Sarah Dessen
68. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
69. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging - Louise Rennison
70. If I Stay - Gayle Forman
(Ditto #24)
71. The King of Attolia - Megan Whalen Turner
72. Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson
73. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast - Robin McKinley
74. The Blue Sword - Robin McKinley
75. Feed - M.T. Anderson
76. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants - Ann Brashares
77. Go Ask Alice - Anonymous
78. Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
79. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
80. Someone Like You - Sarah Dessen
81. The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan
82. Jacob Have I Loved - Katherine Paterson
83. The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
84. Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder
85. Shadow Kiss - Richelle Mead
86. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - Avi
87. An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
88. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
(Woo-hoo! This book is the bees knees!)
89. A Ring of Endless Light - Madeleine L'Engle
90. Glass Houses - Rachel Caine
91. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party - M.T. Anderson
92. Walk Two Moons - Sharon Creech
93. Whale Talk - Chris Crutcher
94. Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles
(Ditto #24)
95. Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols
96. The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks
97. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver
98. Hatchet - Gary Paulsen
99. The Pigman - Paul Zindel
100. The Hero and the Crown - Robin McKinley
That was fun. Surprised Incarceron and Eyes Like Stars didn't make the list, but maybe they're too recent? AND WHAT THE FREAKING BATMOBILE?!?!?! WHERE THE GOSH DARN IS THE LIGHTING THIEF?!?!?! Ohhhh, man! Glad to see Sabriel gettin' some love, though :)
Frances Hodgson Burnett (A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, Little Lord Fauntleroy)
Frances left her home in England as a child to move to rural Tennessee. Talk about culture shock.
One of Burnett's houses had 22 rooms in it - each one dominated by a single color. Her bedroom was entirely pink.
She also had an extensive dollhouse collection, and one of these dollhouses (remember, this is the early 20th century) had a working shower.
Burnett based the character Little Lord Fauntleroy on her son Vivian. I repeat - her SON "Vivian."
Jack London (The Call of the Wild, White Fang)
At age 13, London was already working 14 hours a day in a cannery. He quickly fell into bad company, and by the time he was 18, he was already in jail for vagrancy.
When London was first starting out as a writer, the rejection slips he received piled five feet high.
At age 29, London was the highest-paid and widely read author in America. He was unsuccessful at striking gold...until he started writing about the Klondike gold rush.
London and his second wife Charmain Kittredge called each other "Mate-Woman" and "Mate-Man." Blech.
Carl Sandburg ("Chicago," "Fog," The Rootabaga Stories)
At just 14 years old, Sandburg was already in jail for swimming nude in a city pond.
Sandburg married a woman named Lilian Steichen, but throughout her marriage he kept referring to her as "Paula." Of his wife, Sandburg said that she was "the kind of woman I would be if I were a woman." Ohhh-kay.
Sandburg had a vast collection of folk music, and his favorite song was "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum."
His final house, Connemara in North Carolina, featured a library of 14,000 books.
E.B. White (Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan)
The E.B. stands for Elwyn Brooks, but after college, everyone called him "Andy."
His wife, Katharine Angell, was 7 years older than he was and also was his boss. His idea of a compliment was to tell her, "You smell like pencil shavings."
White found that he could only concentrate on his writing on rainy days.
If E.B. White was to give you a present, it would most likely be a copy of Thoreau's Walden. That was his favorite book, and he carried a copy of it with him wherever he went. He also gave away hundreds of copies as gifts.
Considering his novel Charlotte's Web, it's not surprising that White wasn't afraid of spiders. Once he let hundreds of them hatch and build webs atop his dresser. Research, perhaps?
William Faulkner (The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, Light in August)
Faulkner was not the best student. It is true that he received less than admirable marks in grammar and language (strange for a future author), but he did not, as legend has it, fail English. He never graduated high school, but he was allowed to attend Ole Miss as a WWI veteran.
Faulkner's 3rd novel, Sartoris, became the first of 15 stories set in Yoknapatawpha County
His famous Nobel acceptance speech - which many people lauded as one of the most eloquent statements of faith in humanity - was most likely delivered while drunk.
Despite his status as one of the greatest American writers, the New York Times' obituary of Faulkner was less than kind, remarking on his "obsession with murder, rape, incest, suicide, greed, and general depravity."
