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I wasn't completely sure what to expect when I started Unearthly by Cynthia Hand. On the one hand, the cover is absolutely stunning, and I had heard a lot of great things about the book. But, on the other, I have not had the best of luck with angel stories. Most of the angel stories I've read are okay, but not great, or bad.

But, I worried for nothing. This was by far the best of all the angel books I've read, and I have high hopes for the remaining books in this series.

Hand created some great characters for this novel. Clara is your typical high school teenager. She wants to be liked, wants to fit in, have friends, and a hot boyfriend definitely couldn't hurt. Oh, but she's also an angel. When she turned 14, her mom told her that she's really 1/4 angel, and that makes her smarter, faster, stronger, and basically better than everyone else. Plus, she has wings, and once she gets the hang of it, she'll be able to fly. Her mom also tells her that she will start to receive her purpose. Every angel-blood is sent to earth with one specific purpose — their reason for being. A literal raison d'etre.

When Clara starts getting her purpose, and realizes they will need to be moving from sunning California to super cold Jackson Hole, Wyoming, she's not too happy and neither is her younger brother, who just found out about all this angel stuff.

Her mom's really cryptic about the whole angel thing, continually telling Clara that she needs to discover things on her own. Clara's mom really bothered me. I really hate the whole, I'm not telling you anything — including dangerous/potentially life-threatening information because it's for your own good, thing. It's like, not telling your kid that talking to strangers is usually pretty bad, because you don't want them to know that there are bad things out there. All that does is make sure your kid, or whoever is woefully unprepared when they are faced with a bad or dangerous situation, and we see that more than once in the book. But still, Clara's mom keeps a lot of information from her, even more than Clara realized and this really bothered me.

I thought the love triangle was handled very nicely. One of the best I've read. Christian is the boy from Clara's vision, an integral part of her purpose. And, he's gorgeous. He's popular and everything a teenage girl wants in a boyfriend. And Clara is drawn to him, right from the start, and kind of thinks he might be drawn to her as well. But, he has a girlfriend, and they don't run in the same social circles. Her mom keeps pushing her to focus on him, especially when Tucker, the twin brother of her new best friend starts becoming a bigger part of her life. Yay! For once, the best friend/normal guy gets to be the winner! Christian is that annoying boy with whom the heroine shares one glance, and Boom! Instant connection. They always end up together, and I'm beyond tired of relationships in my books that have absolutely no foundation. But Clara and Tucker start out as friends. They get to know each other slowly, and love grows from there. It was wonderful!

Cynthia Hand has a great ability to write realistic and believable characters, even if they can fly. Her writing flows smoothly, and a lot of the writing is beautiful. Also, I live about 1 1/2 hours from Jackson Hole, WY, and I can totally relate to a lot of the culture shock Clara goes through. It gets really cold there, and they really do have arches made out of antlers all over the place.

This is a series with a lot of potential, and I can see it being really great. Of course, there are a few eventualities that would really piss me off if they ended up being realities (like her dumping Tucker for Christian...) but I can definitely see this becoming largely about the role of choice in our lives versus destiny or fate. How much of our lives do we really get to chose? I can't wait to see what Hand thinks for Clara. The next installment should be wonderful, and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Around the World Tours.

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers is the kind of book I've always loved, but haven't read much of lately — contemporary fiction, with a protagonist full of painful somethings, struggling to add balance back into their world. (How's that for vague?;) )

Eddie is reeling from the suicide of her father, struggling to understand why he could do something like this. His suicide note was vague and Eddie is left needing to know why her father felt the need to end his own life. Her mother hasn't gotten dressed in anything except his bathrobe since he died, let alone remember to go grocery shopping or take care of Eddie, so Beth, her mom's best friend, moves in temporarily to try and help out. But, although she means well, I seriously wanted to slap her. She isn't helpful. Almost everything she says/does makes things harder on Eddie, and increases the weight pressing against her shoulders. Eddie is already in a pretty black place. She doesn't need the judgements of her mom's best friend making things worse.

Her best friend, Milo, wants to help her, but she is keeping part of herself back right now, and she also knows that Milo is keeping something from her about the night her father died, information Eddie feels is necessary for her to begin understanding why her father did what he did.

Then, Eddie meets Cullen. He was a photography student of her father's and they sort of share grief. Eddie is desperate for someone she can relate to, who also feels a gaping loss and needs to know why, so she latches on to Cullen and makes some pretty reckless decisions.

Milo is awesome. He is just a rock solid best friend, trying to be there for Eddie when she needs him while he is also struggling through some changing emotions. He's not sure how to help Eddie, and you can definitely sense the pain he's in, because he doesn't know how to help. Cullen was a strange character, right from the start, and he's one I was never quite sure how I was supposed to feel about. Initially, I liked him because he seemed to be someone for Eddie to share pain with as a way to heal. But then, I honestly believe that Cullen became toxic. Thinking about him now makes me shudder. And yet, he isn't necessarily a bad person, just seriously misguided and maybe a little deranged.

The pain in this book was so real it's palpable. I loved that photography was such an integral part of this story, because, to me, reading this book was like looking at a particularly powerful photograph. It's so real you can almost reach out and touch it, but it's also one of the more distant art forms, because no matter how intimate the shot, the photographer is removed from the subject and only has contact with the lens. I don't know if that makes as much sense to you as it does to me, but I definitely felt like it could not have been done better.

I hadn't read anything by Courtney Summers before picking this up, but I ended up buying a copy of Cracked Up to Be a few days after finishing this one because I was so amazed and wowed by the story. It's a heartbreaking story made powerful by the writing and a couple weeks later, the story still leaves me reeling every time I think about it.

The ending was just as powerful as the rest of the story, and I was left with a feeling of rightness. Not everything was completely resolved and it isn't even a particularly happy ending. But, that's life. Real life doesn't come with wrapping paper and bows for our struggles, so books about pain shouldn't either.

If you haven't read this book yet and you enjoy contemporary YA I think you are seriously missing out. It's raw, emotional and powerful. It's going to make you uncomfortable. It will make you wonder, and it kind of blurs a few lines between right and wrong, but it makes you think and it makes you feel, and I don't know what else you can ask from a book.

*Disclaimer: This book was received through Around the World Tours.

I know I haven't been posting about it much, but this review is also a part of Once Upon a Bookcase's Body Image and Self-Perception month. Head on over and check out all the other wonderful reviews available.

In my mind, an eating disorder is the ultimate manifestation of both poor body image, and a distorted self-perception. I graduated with a BS in Psychology last December, and in one of my undergrad classes, we devoted a large percentage of time to discussing eating disorders and where they stem from. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson is one of the best books I've read this year, and I would say that it is the best book I've ever read that handles eating disorders.

Lia is a young girl who has been suffering from anorexia for several years. She's been hospitalized twice, and the family tries to help keep watch over Lia, and make sure she is eating. They weigh her regularly and prepare meals and 'watch' her eat. But Lia is clever, and she is unable to give up her disorder. She cleverly lines the pockets of the robe she is weighed in with quarters and smears food on a plate before dumping it down the garbage disposal to give the appearance of having eaten. For a long time, Lia feels like she is in control and that losing all this weight makes her powerful. However, after the death of her former best friend, Cassie. Lia's world begins falling apart and she loses control over her life. Toward the end of the novel, she begins to make observations and gains new understanding that gives the reader hope she will overcome her illness.

I think one of the most telling sentences in this book is when Lia really starts to realize what this disease is to her, and where her motivation to starve herself comes from. She keeps obsessive track of her weight, and gives herself goals — I'm 105 lbs? I need to be 100. And on from there. She steps on the scale one day and the number reads 89. Her thoughts, "I could say I'm excited, but that would be a lie. The number doesn't matter. If I got down to 070.00, I'd want 065.00. If I weighed 010.00, I wouldn't be happy until I got down to 005.00. The only number that would ever be enough is 0. Zero pounds, zero life, size zero, double-zero, zero point. Zero in tennis is love. I finally get it. (emphasis added, pg. 220)

I think that there is too much focus placed on the body-image problems facing people who suffer from an eating disorder, and not enough attention given to their warped views of themselves. In one of my undergrad classes, we discussed this at length, and talked about new research being developed that suggests the root causes for many people suffering from eating disorders stem from far more than the desire to be skinny or even the desire to control at least one aspect of their lives. Although both of those play a role in the formation of the disorder, the new research suggests that these eating disorders actually stem more from the desire to disappear. Subconsciously they view themselves as unworthy of love, and that because of their flaws or imperfections, they are not worthy to take up space. So, they are literally trying to starve themselves out of existence. They don't necessarily want to die, but neither do they wish to live. It's scary research, but it's research that makes a frightening amount of sense. That LHA was able to grasp that idea and articulate it so well with just a small paragraph, and a simple sentence speaks volumes to me about her skill as a writer, and her ability to develop believable and realistic characters. Lia just breaks my heart.

One of the most powerful aspects of the novel is also potentially distracting. LHA uses the strike through text to signify the difference between what Lia was thinking and what Lia actually said. Or, it could be what Lia thought vs. what she knew she was supposed to think. Either way, the strike through offers additional insight into the mind of Lia, and enables us as readers to better understand what she's really thinking.

I recommend this book to everyone, even though I know it won't be for everyone. LHA doesn't pull her punches with this one, and I really felt that I was living the life of an anorexic teen along with Lia. And let me tell you, it was not comfortable. It was scary, painful and terrifying. I can only imagine how much worse it would be for someone actually suffering through this. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book as soon as possible. But I warn you, don't pick it up expecting a light read that will fill a few hours. This novel is gripping, intense and horrifying. It is one of the best books I've read all year and I just can't bring myself to give it anything but my highest rating. It is basically amazing in every way. Way to go Laurie, for creating a book that gives us such a vivid portrait of a young anorexic girl who suddenly understands what it is to live.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Around the World Tours.

Kiersten White's debut novel, Paranormalcy is an absolutely delightful story. I loved it!

Our heroine, Evie, is one of the best female characters I've read in what seems like a long time. She hasn't had an easy time of things. She's been living at and working for IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) since she was 8 (which btw, is underground. *shudder*). Now at 16, she has never been able to experience normal. Her best friend is a mermaid who can't speak without a computer to translate, her tutor is a werewolf, and her only experience with the world outside IPCA is when she's sent out on assignment to retrieve a paranormal, and 'tag' them — making them less of a hazard to the human population.

Evie is so valuable to IPCA because she is the only person they've ever come across who can see through a paranormal's glamour — the face that they present to the rest of the world, so she can always spot the paranormals. It's an ideal trait when your hunting them. But it's been hard for Evie. She's 16, and her version of normal is what she can watch on TV. I felt bad for Evie. It must have been incredibly hard growing up away from almost all human contact. But, I was incredibly impressed by her. She made the most of her life, and most of the time seemed genuinely happy. I love the parts of Evie that seem incongruous with her job and her situation. She carries a taser, hunts paranormals, and is really pretty hardcore for a 16 year old. But, her taser is pink, named Tasey, her knife has a pink hilt, her wardrobe contains tons of (yup) pink, she has high heeled zebra print boots (ummm, ya... I want) and she is in love with the high school equivalent of a soap opera, which is also her only tie to a 'normal high school experience.' Sure, she wished things could be different, but she also understood why she was there, and why it wasn't possible for her to have much outside contact.

Everything changes though, once Lend enters the scene. He's like nothing they've ever seen before, and even Evie has a hard time focusing on his real form past his glamour. He's a shape shifter, and is able to mimic any form and voice he sees. He breaks into IPCA, and no one knows why. They contain him, but he's not talking to anyone, until Evie starts hanging around. They form a bond and become really close friends. And of course, given the nature of paranormal YA lately, of course they start a romance, but they were friends, and liked each other as people before they decided they were in love with each other. There was none of that instant flash of recognition/chemistry/whatever that seems so prevelant in YA lit now, and I for one was beyond grateful. I don't actually believe it's possible to truly fall in love that fast. You can definitely become attracted to someone, but that is not love, it's hormones. But I digress...

I though Lend was also a great character. He's pretty down to earth, and is accepting of things he doesn't understand. And, he helps Evie understand herself better too. I liked their relationship, and I liked watching it grow at a normal pace.

I think that the characters, and their relationships with each other are really the best part about this book. The world White created was wonderful, but wouldn't have been terribly memorable or unique without her amazing characters to brighten the world. And when I say characters, I also include her descriptions of the other paranormals that we don't really get to meet. How creepy must it be for Evie to see past a vampire's glamour. We see someone pretty hot, she sees that superimposed over a rotting, decaying corpse. Ugh. The nymphs were wonderful, werewolves interesting, and fairies creepy. I'm actually really excited to see what role Reth is going to have in the future installments.

This book is part of a trilogy, so we don't get to learn everything about Evie's past, and there's definitely more places she can go in the future. But, I loved the way White handled it. Although there are still questions, Paranormalcy ended at a good place. It's not a horrible cliffhanger that's going to leave you angry for a year until the next book comes out. It's a comfortable place to end the story. Although, there is also enough information missing to ensure you're going to be wanting and waiting for the sequel. I'm definitely excited for the sequels to come out. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Evie and her friends, and eager to learn more about her past.

I have to say, that December is my very favorite month. It's Christmas time, which is excellent for lots of reasons. I love Christmas because I get presents (duh, and I think all of us lie if/when we leave this off) I get to give presents, which now that I'm older is just as exciting as getting them, and people just seem to be nicer.

Also, December is the best time to have snow. I love having a white Christmas, and snow has a certain novelty to it that always makes the first snow fall of the year exciting, even if you kind of hate it. But, December is the best time to have snow, and since I live in Idaho, where winter lasts longer than all the other seasons put together (almost) it's a good thing that I'm able to tolerate snow, at least for a little while.

And the best part about December?! It's my birthday, which means it just has to be awesome!:) I'm not a diva about it or anything, but I am definitely of the mindset that on my birthday, I am the most important person. I think I'd be a little like this no matter what, but the fact that my birthday is two days after Christmas means it has a tendency to be lumped into Christmas celebrations. Let me tell you, the absolute worst gift you could possibly give me is anything with 'Merry Christmas/Happy Birthday' attached to it. It definitely gives the gift a negative color, and makes me want to talk to my friends with birthdays in June and do the same.:) My birthday means it's about me, right?! It's great just having a day to celebrate my own awesomeness!:)

What do you love about December?!

Alright everyone, here it is!

My interview with Jennifer Echols, the wonderful author of Forget You! Click HERE to read my review!

Jennifer was kind enough to agree to an interview after I read and loved Forget You. She is also the author of several other books for teens, including Going to Far, another romantic drama, and several romantic comedies, including Major Crush, and The Ex Games.
You can learn more about Jennifer and her books at her website, found HERE.

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First, I would like to say a huge thank you to Jennifer for agreeing to take part in this interview. It's great to have this chance to talk with you.

Ashley, I really appreciate the interview. Thank you!

So, when did you first start writing stories?

I think I was working on my first novel in third grade or so. My mom was reading Watership Down, which is about rabbits. My novel was about squirrels.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I was interested in writing, art, and music, and I pursued all three into college. My first college major was music education and composition. I wanted to be a composer and a high school band director. I was so interested in music intellectually, but I just wasn’t good enough. Writing was a creative outlet I felt much more comfortable with. In fact, I wrote a short story about band for the college literary magazine, people seemed to like it much better than any music I’d ever written, and I never looked back.

Why do you write young adult novels? Was that a conscious choice, or something that just sort of happened?

I finished writing my first novel when I was 20 and still reading YA myself. After that I wrote YA and adult, back and forth, but I guess YA was a part of me when I got my start and I never left. I still think YA novels are some of the best books out there.

Do you have any plans or desire to switch over to the Adult side of the aisle?

Since selling my first YA novel, I have written three adult novels, but they haven’t sold. Every time this happens, it breaks my heart, but publishing is a hard business and I knew this going in.

You already have several published novels out. Both comedic and dramatic. Were there any unique challenges to writing Forget You that you hadn't come across before?

This book is probably the one that’s most personal to me. The characters and events are fictitious, but I have felt all Zoey’s pain before. I have been that good girl who makes bad decisions. So I’m finding it a little harder than usual to share this story and listen to what other people say about it and about her.

Which of your books was the most challenging for you to write?

Endless Summer, because it is a sequel, and everything had to match what I’d written in The Boys Next Door.

Do you ever just sit back and think, "Wow. I'm a writer!"

Yes I do. Every single day I make sure that I reflect on the long, hard road I traveled to get here, and I am thankful that I finally have the career I always wanted.

I love getting new book recommendations. So, I have to ask. What do you read? What are your favorites?

Kiss It by Erin Downing and The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting were absolutely wonderful. And I hope everybody will check out the amazing When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer, which is coming out in November. One of the coolest things about being an author is that you get to read other writers’ novels before they’re published!

Are there any books you can identify that have had the most impact on you as a person, and as a writer?

The best class I ever took was an American Moderns course at Auburn University. We read The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner, The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway, A Lost Lady by Willa Cather, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and the collected poems of T. S. Eliot. Every one of these books made me see the possibilities of writing in a new way. The only book we read that wasn’t new to me was The Great Gatsby, and this wonderful professor made even that seem brand new. Have you ever taken a class like that?

Do you have a current work-in-progress? If yes, is there anything you can share with us about it now?

I’m finishing my next romantic drama for MTV Books. It will be published in July 2011, and it is called This Novel Has Such A Fabulous Title That I Can’t Even Tell You, or possibly OMG This Is The Best Novel Title Ever. My editor and I haven’t chosen which one yet but I will let you know.

Well, thank you so much Jennifer for answering all my questions!
My final question, just because I love them, what is your favorite pair of shoes?

In 2005 I ran my first 10K and the end of my middle toe kind of fell off. It was just a really bad blister. So I went to a local running store and said to the owner, “Please choose a pair of shoes for me that will not make my toe fall off,” and he did and I am on my fifth pair. They are Nike Equalons. This is probably not what you were asking, LOL!
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This was an awesome interview! Thanks again Jennifer for taking the time to talk to share with us! I'm looking forward to your new release, and to picking up some copies of your older books. And, if I ever decide to run a 10K, I'm definitely going to be looking for some Nike Equalons!

I'll be posting my actual review of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson soon, but I wanted to share a few of the links from fellow bloggers who are shouting out about this Wesley Scroggins mess. I posted some of my thoughts, but I still fume about it every time I think about it. There's so much to be said on this topic, and most of it has been said at one point or another by different bloggers and authors from all over.

So, here is a list compiled by Natalie at Mindful Musings. I can only imagine how much time and effort went into contacting everyone and gathering all this information, and I thank her for it, because it makes it so much easier to find.

Bloggers Speak Out is a movement sparked by the recent article, "Filthy Books Demeaning to Republic Education " by Dr. Wesley Scroggins that was published in the Springfield, MO News-Leader on September 18th. In this article, Scroggins vehemently advocates the censorship of books in schools, and specifically requests that the following books be removed from the Republic school system: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler, and Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. To show our support of these authors and to fight against book banning and censorship, we have decided to take action and speak out.

Below is a list of links of bloggers speaking out against book banning and censorship--in the form of giveaways, posts, and reviews. Some are "officially" participating in what we're calling Bloggers Speak Out, and others are posts that we've found around the blogosphere. If you get time, you should definitely check them out!



Giveaways of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
**All giveaways will end on 10/3, unless otherwise noted**
Papercut Reviews Braintasia Books Escape through the Pages Tina's Book Reviews Sea of Pages Mrs. Deraps Reads Moonlight Book Reviews Cari's Book Blog Just Your Typical Book Blog For What It's Worth Wondrous Reads (Ends 9/27) Frankie Writes (Ends?) The Elliot Review (Ends?) The Bookologist (Ends?) La Femme Readers

Other Giveaways
**All giveaways will end on 10/3, unless otherwise noted**
-Lisa Schroeder: ARC of The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (Ends 9/23) -Will Write for Cake: Win Speak, Twenty Boy Summer, or Slaughterhouse Five -Mindful Musings (here): Win Speak, Twenty Boy Summer, or Slaughterhouse Five -Teens Read and Write: Win The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian -Mundie Moms: Win Speak, Burned, Twenty Boy Summer, or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Ends 9/26) -Wicked Awesome Books: Win a "Filthy Books" Prize Pack -Carol's Prints: Win Speak and The Mockingbirds -Myra McEntire: Win Speak, Twenty Boy Summer, or Harry Potter -The Bookish Type: Win Speak or Twenty Boy Summer -Bea's Book Nook: Win Speak & an ALA Challenged Book (Ends 10/2) -Sarah Ockler: Win a Wesley Scroggins Filthy Books Prize Pack (Ends 10/1)

Other Posts Against Book Banning and Censorship
Braintasia Books Escape Through the Pages As Told by Jen Aine's Realm The Compulsive Reader Once Upon a Bookcase Daily Dose Speak Loudly Book Drop @ Late Bloomer Online A Life Bound by Books Red House Books Frankie Writes Michelle's Bookshelf I Should Be Writing The Undercover Book Lover Punk Writer Kid Lisa and Laura Write Between the Covers Another Book Junkie Jenni Elyse Eve's Fan Garden The Ultimate Dumpees Reading the Best of the Best The Pirate's Bounty Reclusive Bibliophile Book Faery Bloggers Heart Books Book Swarm Fantasy 4 Eva The Ladybug Reads The Lady Critic's Library Emilie's Book World Jacob's Beloved Just Your Typical Book Blog Maggie's Bookshelf Basically Amazing Books Novel Thoughts Random Ramblings Holes in my Brain Readligion Vision Quest Fail Shelby Barwood Supernatural Snark Consumed by Books Ann Marie Gamble The Darker Side of the Fire Katie's Book Blog Sassymonkey (BlogHer) GreenBeanTeenQueen Jessica Lei Maria Romana Abby Minard The Mimosa Stimulus Books and Things Beyond the Trestle

Authors Speak Out
Laurie Halse Anderson: This guy thinks Speak is pornographic Laurie Halse Anderson: The power of speaking loudly Author Gayle Forman @ Eve's Fan Garden Author Saundra Mitchell @ Eve's Fan Garden Karen Rivers Sarah Ockler: I Speak Loudly for Speak Sarah Ockler: On Book Banning Zealots and Ostriches Author Laura Manivong @ Page Turners Cheryl Rainfield: Fight Against Ignorance Myra McEntire: Speak Loudly: In Defense of Laurie Halse Anderson Andrea Cremer: Speak Out Natalie Standiford on Censorship @ Emily's Reading Room

Important Articles on the Subject
"Filthy Books Demeaning to Republic Education" (the article that started it all) Scroggins' Official Complaint to the School Board (PDF) "Republic School Book Choices under Fire " (Springfield News-Leader) Laurie Halse Anderson's Editiorial in the Springfield News-Leader Sarah Ockler's Editorial in the Springfield News-Leader Natalie @ Mindful Musings' Letter to the Editor in the Springfield News-Leader Essay: Kurt Vonnegut's Thoughts on the First Amendment
Thanks to everyone who has spoken out about this. It's not something that will be going away soon, but it's something that we can fight a little better every day. We can make progress. We can make a difference. Speak out, and don't ever let anyone else do your thinking for you.

****CONTEST CLOSED*****

Wow. I can barely believe that I've already been blogging for a month. It definitely hasn't felt like it's been that long. I've loved it so far, so I definitely have to send a big thank you to my sister who finally pushed me to start the blog I'd been thinking about for months. She's great with the motivation, so thanks Cic!

So, to celebrate passing the one month mark, I've decided to hold my first contest/giveaway. I think it's a fun way to say thanks to all my readers for being so great. For this first contest, I want it to be about having fun with words, because that's why we are all here, right?!

I started my Word of the Day just over a week ago and decided that this would be a fun thing to incorporate into a contest/giveaway. So here it is!

To Enter:

All you need to do to enter is write me a sentence. Take one of the words I've used for my word of the day, past or present, (found here) and use it as creatively as possible in a sentence, and post it as a comment. The best/most creative sentence (as determined by myself, above mentioned sister and a well-read friend) will win!
For your entry — Please make ONE comment that includes your entry ANDyour email address, so I can contact you if you win. In a SECOND comment, add up any extra entries you've earned. (Please make sure that you are clearly identified in each post, and that it is clear which two posts belong to you. If I don't know who you are, I can't contact you when you win.) You may add the second comment at any time as long as I can clearly find which sentence belongs to you.

You may enter 1 (one) sentence.

The winner of the best sentence will receive their choice of a new dictionary or thesaurus as well as a custom-made bookmark incorporating their winning word. I will also tag the the winner's blog in the wrap up post, and highlight their blog in a reader's spotlight section.

If I receive enough entries, I will also use a random number generator (or my nephews pulling a number from a hat) to choose a second, random winner.

The random winner will receive both a custom bookmark and a blogger spotlight as well.

Although you may only have one sentence entry, you may gain extra entries for the random drawing by doing the following:

• follow my blog (+2 for old followers, +1 for new)
• become a fan of my facebook page, viewable here
• promote this contest elsewhere. (tweet, sidebar, post, facebook etc.) Please provide links! +1 for each, up to 2 extra.

I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately. I have a few ideas as to why that it, most of which are directly related to feeling like all the books I *should* be reading, but aren't yet are staring at me from my shelves and judging me. I see it in the way they *look* at me, and it's made picking up that next book to read hard.

So, when I saw on Twitter that Jenn from Jenn's Bookshelves was hosting a Read-a-Thon today, I decided that I should jump on that, and participate.

in my blog IF YOU WANT TO JOIN UP TOO!!:)

So, here I am! I do have stuff that I need to get done today, so I know I won't be reading all day. And, I am actually going to be watching at least part of the game. I'm not a huge football fan, but I enjoy watching upon occasion, and my brother-in-law is the best person I have ever watched a game with. The Steelers are his team, and he gets so invested in the games, and watching, that he's probably more fun to watch that the game itself. Then, add in the fact that my best friend has wanted to go to a legit Superbowl party for as long as I've known her (legit meaning not just another excuse to hang out in a living room w/ people who don't understand the game) and she was thrilled when I told her my BiL invited her to theirs.

But, I know I won't watch the whole game, and there's a bunch of time before and after the game when I'll be able to read. And, having a reason I'm supposed to be reading, is hopefully going to motivate me to actually, well, do it!

So, my plans for today are pretty conservative. I want to finish one book, get started on a second and begin East of Eden for a read-a-long I'm participating in. I'm supposed to have 80 pages read by Tuesday, and I haven't even opened the book yet. O_0 So, that's the minimum I'd like to get done, but more would be awesome!

What are you reading today?

I mentioned before that I was going to be participating in the One Child reading experience. If you don't know what that is, you can read my original post HERE. To briefly summarize, Enthrill is a new publisher, trying new marketing techniques. They took this book and created a month long reading event. One Child is a thriller that you read in real time. Each day new chapters were released the same time the events took place within the story. The online reader also included links to facebook pages, business websites, news reports and more that made the real time reading experience realistic.

This book felt like a true story. It read like real life. I almost feel like these characters are real people. Jeff Buick is a very talented writer. So, now let me get to my review of this book, as well as the experience of reading it in real time. (And be warned... This is a long one, because there is a lot of ground to cover here!)

I just reading this early this morning, and I'm still reeling. The story includes everything that makes a good thriller. It contains realistic and sympathetic characters. People who are very clearly bad guys, people who are very clearly good guys, and several people who inhabit that shady in-between area where you aren't quite sure just where they fall. It has a conflict, a climax and a slightly unbelievable resolution that you totally eat up anyway, because seriously?! That's just what had to happen!

For all that this book had everything that makes for a great thriller, there was so much more to it that just another thriller/conspiracy story. This book makes a political statement, asking us to become more aware of our situation and the problems facing others. It takes a very real issue in America, the war in Afghanistan, and it asks Americans to take a closer look at why we are there, what we are accomplishing, and what more needs to be done there. And the best part about it? It does all of this while keeping us totally entertained, completely absorbed in the story and never makes you feel like you are being pushed or beaten over the head with the information. The book, quite simply, tells it like it is.

That is what I think was the best part about this book. It's honest. The sections of the book that take place among the American soldiers in Afghanistan is painfully real. While reading, you can feel the fear and adrenaline from the soldiers, and understand the fear, anger and pain of the Afghani people. It would be interesting to talk to someone who has been over there fighting how accurately Buick portrays the conditions, because they felt horribly real to me. It makes my heart hurt that this is what some people face every day. There's the danger of unexploded land mines being stepped on by children or animals, the angry Taliban soldiers storming through your town, not caring who they hurt in an effort to kill the soldiers fighting them, people afraid of who will next burst through the door of their homes with guns held at the ready. It's tragic and painful to read. I can only imagine how much harder it must be to live it.

There are four main story lines within this book. Initially, we don't see a connection between any of the stories, but eventually, they all pull together and we are able to find the connections, and determine how each player and each movement sets the stage for what is to come as each story line finally becomes one.

So, our first story is Kadir and his three daughters. Halima is the eldest, and she dreams that she changes the world.
Next, we have Carson Grant and William Flemming. Flemming is an incredibly wealthy big-shot on Wall Street, and Carson is his newly promoted Division Head of the High Frequency Trading Unit of his Wall Street Corporation.
Third is Russel Matthews, a reporter going to Afghanistan to bring the truth about the situation over there to the people in America. We also meet several soldiers in Afghanistan who help us understand what life is really like.
And finally, we have U2, preparing for a rock concert in Moscow, and the team lead by an ex-CIA agent trying to bring it down.

The story is crafted perfectly. The pacing is wonderful, the story flows beautifully and the characters are believable. I really enjoyed reading this book and felt like I truly got to know the characters. The only real complaint that I have with the story is the ending. It was just a little bit too pat, and a few events were a little bit too unbelievable for me. Carson Grant is a naive idiot, and I never really felt like I was able to like him. His character felt a little bit flat to me. Part of his limited character depth, I think, comes from the fact that the woman he is engaged to, Nicki, is an almost superfluous character. She is dying of Cystic Fibrosis, and I felt that she was never anything more than a device. She provides "depth" to Carson's character, a little bit of drama, and is there for consequences. She was never really developed as a person. Instead, I felt like she was developed as a disease.

Other than my problems with the Carson/Nicki dynamic, I loved the characters in this book. Not all of them are people I'd like to meet on the street, but most of them (even Carson) felt like people that I might. It's possible I could run across someone just like almost any of these characters. It's not too likely that I'd run into a psychotic Russian who gets his thrills from killing people slowly, but I'll probably run into someone who has served a tour or more in a foreign war fighting for liberty and the right to life.This is definitely a book that I will read again in the future, and one I would recommend for others. I'm going to be looking to read more by Buick in the future. I'd like to see how I feel about a book of his reading it in one straight shot. But for now, Buick is definitely someone to watch for. One Child is so much more than I expected it to be, and I strongly recommend that you go out and read it now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, about the experience because you have to say something about that-

This book was the most unique book I've ever read because of the way it was released. As I mentioned, it was released in real time, with different chapters becoming available every day so that the events in the story unfold as you are reading about them. You are able to view the social networking pages of many characters, and are able to watch the reports that Russel Matthews sends from Afghanistan.

Although I truly enjoyed the little extras that came with the book, only having access to a limited number of pages every day stifled a lot of the excitement and adrenaline that I usually feel when reading a thriller/suspense novel. I was more invested in the characters than the events, because the chapters kept cutting off. I am a pretty fast reader, and rarely take more than 1-3 days reading a book. When I read, I prefer to read one book at a time, focus all my reading energies into that story and those characters and read it. Because this book provided me with daily cut offs, I found it really easy to distance myself from the events of the story and there were times when I'd leave it for a few days so I would have more to read when I came back to it.

The 4 videos that were released with the days events also reaffirmed what I already knew. I am more emotionally involved in what I read than in what I see or am told. The book made me cry, made my heart hurt. Watching those same events on Matthews video reports didn't even really make me sad. They were just kind of there. But that isn't the fault of the videos, it's just how I am. A really well written sad scene in a book can make me sob. A similar scene in a really well done movie just kind makes my throat hurts and my eyes tear up a little.

The timed release was a great idea and really made a difference in how the story made me feel, but I don't know that I loved it. I loved the idea, and enjoyed the execution but don't know if it's something I will be looking to repeat. However, I definitely plan to re-read this book sometime in the future and I strongly encourage you as readers to pick up a copy. It makes you think a lot more than I ever expected it too. I know that Halima has changed my world. Are you going to let her change yours?

Up for grabs today is a whole lot of awesome! Feast your eyes on these beauties:

Misty says: I'm not going to lie (and it wouldn't do any good, because everyone already knows) I am a sucker for a good cover. These are two that I want to just display prominently and treat like art. So beautiful! Both have been featured on The Book Rat before:
Friday Face Off | TBR Tuesday | First Pages: Extraordinary
You can check out our reviews, too:
Misty: Impossible | Ashley: Extraordinary | Misty: Extraordinary (coming soon!)

Want to win one of these delicious lovelies for yourself? We have 3 prizes to offer up, which break down like this:

• 1 person will win a paperback of Impossible!
• 1 person will win an ARC of Extraordinary!
• 1 person will win a prize pack of both books!

• Must answer at least 1 question in detail* to enter (at least 2 to enter for the prize pack); each additional question earns you another entry *ie no 1 word answers
• Make sure we have a way to contact you
• If you have a preference on which book you win, leave it with your answer
• +1 for tweeting
• US only
• Ends May 5th May 8th!
• HAVE FUN!

First, let me thank both Lori at The Next Best Book Blog and author M. Clifford. Lori hosted a contest to win a copy of M. Clifford's new book, The Book. I won.

Prior to reading The Book, every dystopian society I've come across in literature has been the result of a major apocalypse, huge earth changing war or a major catastrophe. It is then relatively easy for this "utopian" government to step in and take over because anarchy reigns and the people are in desperate need of some order. Even a highly controlling government sounds great when faced with the absolute lack of one. This gives most dystopian literature a feeling of separation from reality. We can see the similarities to our culture and society and hopefully avoid that future, but we breathe easier because we know it can't reach that level of atrocity without that apocalyptic moment. And, if we are faced with the apocalypse, we probably have other things on our minds. The major disaster that destroys most of the world keeps us at a disconnect that allows me to sleep comfortably at night knowing my government is solid, even though it isn't perfect. M. Clifford refuses to allow me that small comfort. The government who orchestrated the introduction and infiltration of this insidious electronic reading device is my own United States Government, still bound by the amazingly brilliant United States Constitution. This adds a new element of fear to his book. With all other works of dystopian literature, I am able to take comfort in the knowledge that my government would never be reduced to those extremes, and that I can take comfort in the protections, securities and liberties written into and guaranteed by the Constitution. Clifford takes that away from me, and instead shows me a world where my government is responsible for the systematic destruction of the printed word and ultimately our freedom of speech, the press and expression. I shudder. I cringe. But, it forces me to think.

Aside from uniquely blaming our current government on the horrific situation our hero finds himself in, the best part about this book was the love of literature that simply flowed from the pages. This book is one that truly speaks to lovers of the written (and printed) word. The way Clifford drafts his character's discussion, description and handling of books is reverent, almost sacred. The imagery he uses to describe these character's first experiences with an actual printed book gave me goosebumps. There were numerous allusions, both blatant and indirect to a wide variety of literature. He quoted multiple sources ranging from popular fiction to fairy tales to classics. He used them as inspiration for parts of his story, but managed to do it in a way that doesn't feel as if he is 'borrowing' their ideas in substitute for his own. His written voice is unique enough, even when directly quoting sources, that the words almost felt like entirely new ideas. If you take away nothing else from this book, remember that books are important and have the ability to transform your world and your life. Love them, treasure them, but most importantly, read them.

In this novel, M. Clifford has gifted the reader with both the horrors of a nightmare and the majestic beauty of a dream. His book begins with the words "Don't read the book". But it's more than that. If you read between the lines and apply it to right now, we can instead say, Don't let others think for you. Don't follow blindly. Question everything.

Sudden Moves by Kelli Sue Landon is about the sudden disappearance of Michelle's classmate, Katie. When Katie and her family don't return from a spring break trip to Florida, Michelle panics, because she let Katie borrow a treasured family heirloom before leaving, and now she's unsure about whether or not she will get it back. She begins to investigate with the help of her, like, best friend? Tami, and Katie's almost, but not quite boyfriend, Brad, who Michelle has a serious crush on.

I feel bad writing this review, because I had hoped to like this book. But, I struggled with it from the very beginning. I didn't feel like the writing was very approachable. It felt very... mechanical, like someone trying to write teenagers who has had very limited contact with them since their own high school days. I felt like the characters were unbelievable, especially the adults. Every adult in the story was easily duped by these kids. The dialogue was wooden and forced, and the character interactions were awkward overall.

While reading it, I felt like Landon couldn't quite make up her mind about how she wanted her characters to be, and what direction to take them. As a result, there were a lot of inconsistencies as well as moments that just didn't fit in with the rest of the story. A lot of it just didn't make sense, and the details didn't add up. There were more than a few scenes I personally felt were unnecessary, and they seemed to have been added in just for the drama, because everyone knows you can't be a teen without the major drama, but none of these dramatic scenes added anything to the story. Like Michelle and Brad going to the under 21, soda only club (on a dateNotDate) and having Michelle getting into a screaming-shoving match with the 'queen bee' because she made a snide comment.

I never felt the drama of the situation, and I never felt a connection with the characters. Landon does have potential as a writer, and her story idea was good. I feel like a little more research and more direction within the writing would have been great additions to the story. Pick your 'angst', don't try to include it all. Having a book with a disappearance, main character trying to solve said disappearance, drama with a demanding, controlling and sometimes drunken mother, absentee dad who is always on the road as a trucker and may or may not be happy to be home with mom when he does stop, best friend drama in all ways, stereotypical high school mean girls with several almost cat-fights and then tossing in a love interest who is actually pining away for the missing girl just gets to be too much. Cutting out about half of the drama would have made the story better.

It wasn't a horrible book, but it wasn't one that really drew me in either. It's not one I'll ever read again, and I doubt I'll remember much about it in the future.

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the author for an honest review.

This review isn't about a book I read recently. It's about a book I read back in 2009, that I didn't really like all that much. I reviewed it on Goodreads and I came across it again as I was browsing through my book lists. It made me laugh so hard I decided to post it on the blog for all of you to read, and probably laugh at too. (posted exactly as taken from GR)

The Last Grail Keeper by Pamela Smith Hill

I am deciding between 2 and 3 stars right now, wishing, once again that GR offered a half star system. This book was definitely not a favorite. I felt that the writing style was weak, and juvenille. It was written in first person from the perspective of a young girl. I feel that because of this, the author felt the need to make every other thought Super exciting! And Wow! and Can you believe it! and Oh goodness! There were at least three exclamation points on half a page. Wow!

I also felt that the story itself was weak. In a fantasy story, there needs to be a suspension of disbelief for the story to function properly that just wasn't there for me. Always with the swirling purple dragon shapes, and the time sparkles. Magic and visions stop being interesting after the 8th time in 15 pages they are refered to. (I didn't count, but it mentioned them constantly).
Then, the bad guys. I'm sorry, but what evil, hard core, time-changing, future destroying, MAGICAL bad guy is going to let the little girl he is trying to destroy pick his pocket to retrieve her magical necklace because he is too distracted on the telephone?! I mean, really. Come on!

There were too many things in this story that I found hard to believe, and the character development was weak throughout the whole story. The only explaination for the evil witch fairy Morgan Le Fay (that anyone who has ever heard any Aurthurian Legends KNOWS is EVIL) for really being one of the best good guys is that — all the women of Camelot wear two faces. That's it. I thought the story could have had potential, but was very disappointed in just about every aspect of the story.

No story line was fully developed, all of the characters were depressingly one-dimensional, and there was nothing in the story that convinced me I should beleive what was happening. It felt contrived and slapped together, and I was very disappointed. I haven't been this bored reading a book in a long time.

Writing this review, I just talked myself out of another star. I still think 2.5 would be the best rating, but right now feel that 2 comes closer to what I feel than 3.

Cindy Pon is the author of two Asian-inspired high fantasy novels, Silver Phoenix and Fury of the Phoenix. While not based on a fairy tale, the books, especially Silver Phoenix, are full of original lore and mythical beings that could have stepped out of any traditional story. For a review of Pon’s work, please visit A Backwards Story .

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1) What were your favorite fairy tales growing up? What drew you to them?
I love the Hans Christian Anderson stories like The Little Match Girl and The Little Mermaid
and The Snow Queen. They were all magical but also all rather tragic. I think my father was the
one to buy me his anthology and I treasured those stories.

2) What Chinese folklore tales were your favorites? What did you like about them?
My favorite is The Cowherder and the Weaver. It is called the Chinese Valentine’s story and not only incorporates fantasy, but is very romantic. The weaver girl in the story was immortal and despite having children and living a happy human life, she was pulled back and separated from her family and husband to return to the heavens by her angry grandmother. So it is only on July 7th of each year that the lovers can meet in the heavens on a bridge across the Milky Way formed by magpies.

2) Did any traditional tales influence you when writing Silver Phoenix?
Not really. I'm influenced by everything I read in a way. But with Silver Phoenix, I simply knew I wanted to tell a heroine's journey and have a fantasy inspired by ancient China.

3) Was it hard coming up with your own lore when you began world-building, especially because, despite the Chinese influence, Xia isn't China? How did you bring everything together?
That wasn't the difficult part. The difficult part was allowing myself the freedom to make stuff up!
I had to realize and accept that I wasn't writing a historical or even a historical fantasy (which would
have to take place in a certain time or place in our history), but creating my own world inspired by China.
Once I gave myself that freedom, it was easy to just write Ai Ling's story the way I envisioned it. It is no
different than what Tolkien or Lewis or many fantasy authors did, use real culture and myth but also create your own for your fantasy world.

4) What are some of your favorite fairy tale inspired novels and/or authors?
I really enjoyed Entwined by Heather Dixon as well as Ash by Malinda Lo. White Cat by Holly Black is amazing (followed by Red Glove). These novels are loosely based on the White Cat fairy tale and is a favorite series of mine!

5) If you could live out any fairy tale, what would it be and why?
As tragic as it is, and as afraid as I am of being underneath the sea very deep, I'd have to say The Little Mermaid. I've always been fascinated by mermaids since reading the story.

6) Will you be writing any more novels that incorporate mythical beings? Can you tell us anything about your upcoming work?
I only sold two young adult novels so Ai Ling's story ends with Fury of the Phoenix. For my next project, I do hope to write and sell another Xia fantasy starring a shape-shifting snake demon (very popular in Chinese folklore) heroine and a wannabe monk. =)

8) What are some traditional Asian tales that should be more well-known in the Western Hemisphere?
Journey to the West (Monkey King) is the best known (but still not very well-known) story. I'm very excited, as Neil Gaiman has been asked to write the screen play and I hope to see an excellent film made for the US audience in the near future!

And now, in traditional Fairy Tale Fortnight fashion, the lightning round of crazy but fun questions!

~Best fairy tale villain and why? The stepmother from Snow White. She was just so conniving and scary

~Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in a fairy tale? A pastry, like Pie or Cupcake.

~ Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale:
Cupcake wandered lost in the strange forest, surrounded by star-shaped donuts, singing apple pie slices, and dancing blueberry scones.

~Would you rather:
- — eat magic beans or golden eggs? Golden Eggs!

- — style 50ft long hair or polish 100 pairs of glass slippers? Polish glass slippers!

- — have a fairy godmother or a Prince Charming? A fairy godmother!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and answer some questions for us today Cindy! The interview was fascinating! And thanks Bonnie, for contacting Cindy and working with us on these interviews! You are both wonderful!

About me: I work in a public library as a Children’s Programmer and Sr. Library Assistant. I’m a mom of one wonderful 10 year old boy and married to an amazing man who is also my very best friend.

I’ve been blogging for nearly 8 months, at Lost in the Library, and I love it. It’s become a way for me to share what I’m passionate about with others and I’ve been so fortunate to meet some fabulous people while doing it. You can also find me on Twitter, @librarygalreads or email me at librarygal [at] hotmail [dot] ca
Post:
As a tween, reading was my most favourite activity. I went to the library every week-sometimes twice and would check out a huge stack and just read and read and read. I went through a few different genre phases during this time-

There was my classics phase where I devoured anything by Dickens, Bronte or Austen.

I had a Lurlene McDaniel phase, where every book I read had someone with cancer or someone dying as a result of a horrible accident.

My science fiction phase -that I never really outgrew

I also had a “books that scare me to death” phase and that is where the author Joan Lowery Nixon came in.

Joan is skilled at writing thrillers that have you holding your breath until you turn the page (especially if you’re 11 or 12). The Other Side of the Dark was one that I read over and over again. It was first published in 1986 by Laurel-Leaf Publications.

original cover (this is the copy I have)

New-more contemporary cover

Summary from GoodReads Stacy wakes up in a room that's not hers, in a body she doesn't recognize, to discover she's been in a coma for four years. Her mother is dead--—murdered--—and Stacy, recovering from a gunshot wound, is the only eyewitness to her mother's murder. She can recall only a shadowy face, so far. But the killer is not about to let her reveal his identity...
This was a plot driven book that kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I did not predict the ending at all, although that might have been different if I were to read it now. One scene which has completely stuck with me is a part in the story where Stacy and her best friend are getting ready for a party. She does her hair and makeup and picks out her outfit which is a red silk blouse and jeans (which she first shrinks in the dryer) and then she struggles for 10 minutes just to get into them.

At 12, I thought this would be a fantastic outfit and had my mom buy me new jeans (which I shrank) and a lovely red blouse (though as I recall it was closer to orange) and it was silk of course. I am very glad that there are no pictures to document this glamourous fashion statement, though it is burned into my mind. (at least no one else can see)

I haven’t re-read the book since my teen years and though it’s sitting on my bookshelf downstairs as I write, I’m not sure if I’ll ever read it again. I’d really like to preserve the memory of how I feel about it through those ‘tween’ eyes.

Thank you so much Jennifer! I definitely went through a Joan Lowry Nixon phase, so this brings back all kinds of memories!

If any of you would like to be a Memory Monday guest poster, follow the link or shoot me an email! I'd love to have you!

End Point Survey!!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Most daunting for me was probably somewhere around 21 or 22. It didn't help that the book I was reading was dense, and has very small font. Probably not the best choice for the homestretch.:)

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

Books written in verse move really quickly, so you feel like you are accomplishing a lot. I was also rather partial to rereads, because you are already familiar with the story, so they generally move quicker.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Still nope... :)
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

I don't know how to answer this question. And, I'm exhausted. So I won't.:)

5. How many books did you read?
11 1/3

6. What were the names of the books you read?

I listed them all in another post. Here is the link.

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

Most? I don't really know. I enjoyed a lot of them differently. Some were old favorites that I reread, some were new. I don't know that I could pick one!

8. Which did you enjoy least?

I feel guilty saying this, but that book I enjoyed the least was The Hero and the Crown. I feel guilty, because it's one of my favorites. It's a reread for me, and my lack of enjoyment was not the books fault. It's just fairly dense writing (that's McKinley for ya) and the font in my copy is tiny, and I started it at one o'clock in the morning. Let me tell you — When you've been reading for 19 hours, dense writing with itty bitty font is probably not the best idea.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

I wasn't a cheerleader this time.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Definitely will! I will be a reader for sure, and probably a cheerleader.

Here is my mid-challenge survey! I will most likely also be using this post for the final survey also, but we'll see.:)

1. What are you reading right now?
I just finished reading The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, and now I'm waiting on Twitter to help me decide what to read next while I fill this out!:)

2. How many books have you read so far?

I have 8 books on my 'read' list. One of those was just finishing the last 70 pages, and three were short novella, but I'm feeling pretty awesome about my progress!

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Most looking forward to? I have no idea! My interests keep shifting, so right now, I'm just interested in making sure I finish!

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Not really. I don't work on Saturdays, so I mostly just told people that I was uninterested in being social.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

I had a few phone calls, and a friend came over for a second, but I just didn't talk much. All in all, I think my total distraction time is less than 15 minutes, and that includes the few minutes it took me to walk around the corner to go get the mail, and then open my packages! I'm really proud of myself! Normally I get completely sucked into Twitter or something, but I've been really great at keeping focused!
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
Like I mentioned above, mostly I'm surprised at how well I've kept my focus! And, that I'm passing through hours 13 and don't feel like gauging my eyes out yet.:)

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Umm... Not really.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
I think next year I'd like to set up a slightly different area in advance with more sitting options. I don't have a chair in my bedroom right now (no room) and it's the quietest part of the house, with no distractions. I think after everyone goes to be, I might migrate, but I'd like more ready made options. I will also buy a little more food with substance to it.:)

Also, next year, I think I want to sign up to be an official cheerleader. I plan to spend some time cheering later tonight, but I'd like to be able to make it 'official'
9. Are you getting tired yet?
Nope! My tired time was this morning. That first 3 or so hours was a little hard, because I am not a morning person. I'm just hitting my stride!:) I thrive at night, so I imagine I'll be doing great for a while yet! I usually start getting sleeping around 3 or so, and if I can push past that, I'm golden!

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
I don't really know... I'm still pretty new to this, so, take it for what it's worth. But, it's been working out really well for me to finish a book, write it down as completed and then jump on Twitter and update, or cheer people on for about 5-10 minutes. It gives me a chance to get my mind around the book I just finished, and then swiftly shift for the next one. I doubt I'm the only one to figure this out though!:)

Our first Fairy Tale Fortnight Guest Blogger is April also known as CSI: Librarian. She is here to talk about Winter's Child, a retelling of "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson. April-

How did I get it: The library.

Why did I get it: I've been meaning to look at the "Once Upon a Time" is Timeless series for awhile, and "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson is pretty much my favorite fairy tale.

How I would rate it: 4 out of 5 stars.

Summary: Free-spirited Grace and serious Kai are the best of friends. They grew up together listening to magical tales spun by Kai's grandmother and sharing in each other's secrets. But when they turn sixteen and Kai declares his love for Grace, everything changes. Grace yearns for freedom and slowly begins to push Kai — and their friendship — away.

Dejected Kai dreams of a dazzling Snow Queen, who entices him to leave home and wander to faraway lands. When Grace discovers Kai is gone, she learns how much she has lost and sets out on a mystical journey to find Kai... and discover herself.

Review: The writing here was superb and the story overall was very touching. I think the origin of the Winter Child aka the Snow Queen was really one of the best parts of the book, but there were also many other wonderful moments or notions throughout the book.

I have to admit I wish the story had been a bit darker and in that respect, I still like the original fairy tale better. I missed the Snow Queen being prickly and lethal as well as the idea of the mirror shards that ended up in people's eyes distorting their views of the world. I also missed the reindeer and just the familiar sequencing of events. Grace also seemed to get off comparatively light in terms of her ordeals, and while I liked the notion of Kai and Grace separating and having their own lives rather than focusing on their love or fear of being alone, it did seem sort of odd that Grace's love interest showed up maybe five pages from the end.

Yet these issues were nothing compared to what was right with Winter's Child. Cameron Dokey made a lot of cool changes and took the story on a very neat, new direction. Ultimately, I cannot fault an author for trying to humanize a more villainous character or for deciding to change her from an unfeeling monster to a teenage girl searching for a connection to her own heart. In general, I really have to applaud Dokey's originality and her turning this story into something a bit more positive for any reader in regards to how love works and the importance of finding and understanding one's self first. And the value of the love that comes from friendships. And recognizing when a love is more of a trap than a way to freely express one's self. I also thought the use of three narrators and adding subtitles to the chapter headings was a nice touch.

In conclusion, if you're looking for an enthralling way to spend an hour and you love fairy tale re-tellings, pick up this book.

Saving Francesca is the second book by Melina Marchetta that I have read, and I must say — I'm reasonably certain that this woman is completely brilliant. The only reason that this book isn't 'Basically Amazing' is because I read Jellicoe Road first. And that book, well... That book simply blew my mind.

Francesca is having a really bad year. She has attended the same all girls school for years, but it is only for girls up to year 10. All of her friends are going to one school, while Francesca has to go to St. Sebastians, which used to be an all-boys school and they think that just because they gave the few girls who now attend their school their own bathroom, that makes them co-ed. If that wasn't bad enough, her mom, who has always been full of life, energy, ambition, and action no longer even gets out of bed. Her dad doesn't know how to handle it and her younger brother is scared, and Francesca is scared too, and depressed. It definitely doesn't help that she doesn't have any friends at this school, and that the few girls she recognizes from her old school are all... weird.

Tara is the loud mouthed feminist demanding equality in everything on campus. Sibhoan was Francesca's best friend in year 7 (I think), but they haven't been friends for a while, and everyone is pretty sure Sibhoan is a bit of a tramp. Justine is nice, but strange. She's a musician, and she plays the accordion. Then, there's Will. She's not quite sure how she feels about him, but he's definitely attractive, even if he can be a bit of a jerk. But, there's definitely a something there. Then, a couple boys in her year, Jimmy and Thomas (Tom) start popping up, and she can't seem to get away from anyone.

This book is awesome. Marchetta really knows how to write a book and give you amazing characters that you are rooting for. What I had previously heard about this book made it sound almost light-hearted. I knew that Francesca was in need of saving, but thought that had more to do with being one of a very few girls in what used to be an all boys school. The blurb on the book wasn't very informative, and really, I picked this one up because I so loved Jellicoe Road and wanted to see if this author was a really great writer, or if Jellicoe Road was just a one time deal. And people, it wasn't. Marchetta is awesome!

The depression was handled very well. Francesca's mom just can't do it anymore. She can't get out of bed, doesn't want to eat and is so completely unlike herself that no one knows what to do. And it really weighs on Francesca and for most of the novel, she is really depressed as well, although she is still functioning, and she puts a brave face on.

Although the story is done wonderfully, what really makes this book shine is the characters. Every single character in this book was well developed. I cannot think of a single stock character. Everyone had their own parts to their story, their personality and their role in Francesca's life, and I loved them all. Although, I am going to admit that even by the end, I wasn't completely won over by Will. He's a good guy, but I'm not yet totally convinced that he's great. Love them or hate them, each of the characters had an their own unique and important part to the story. Some of the characters add to her depression, many of them are doing what they can to lift it, and others don't even notice.

Francesca has been insecure about a lot of things for a while, in large part due to the stifling effects of her former 'best friends'. It was one of the constant points of contention between her and her mother, while her mother was still a powerhouse of whirlwind energy. The new group of friends that Francesca joins up with help pull her out of that insecure place, and I loved watching her grow into her skin, accept herself, and totally rock it. I also loved learning about their previous family dynamic, how close everyone was with each other, even when they fought, and how much Francesca loved and cared for her younger brother. It was hard watching them suffer with their current situation, and struggle to get back to where the used to be. That is something that it took the family a long time to learn. Even if mom does start getting out of bed again, things are never going to be the same as they were before. There is always going to be a difference.
There was one scene, at the end of the novel where everything becomes too much for Francesca, and she 'overloads'. I won't give you details, because this is a critical part of her story, but my heart was racing in my chest and caught in my throat as I waited to see what she would do, and how she would handle herself. Those girls and guys that she spent the beginning of the story at a casual distance to become an extended part of her family. If everyone could have friends like these to support and care for them, and a family that, overall, really is there for them the way that Francesca's family is there for both her and her mom, I think the world would have a lot less problems, and people would be a lot less dysfunctional.
There are really powerful messages of friendship, family, trust and love contained in these pages. I almost don't like the cover of this novel, because it, like the back excerpt, imply a light-hearted read when in reality, this book is so very much more.

Seriously people, do yourselves a favor, and read this book.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Star Book Tours.

Firelight by Sophie Jordanis a unique shape-shifter/paranormal YA read. Instead of werewolves, vampires, fairies or angels, Jordan has introduced us to the Draki, 'people' that have evolved from dragons. They can shift between human and dragon form almost at will, but shhh! Don't tell anyone, because no one else knows. The humans who hunt the Draki don't actually know that they appear human most of the time.

Other than the actual premise (shape-shifting dragons) not much of this story is terribly unique. We have our 16 year old heroine, trying to find her place among her family and her pride (group of Draki). She also happens to be extra special, even for a Draki (because why would we want to read about a mediocre heroine?!) She is the first Draki is generations who has the ability to breathe fire, which naturally makes her pretty popular among other members of the pride. Pretty early into the story, she is uprooted from the only home, and the only people she has ever known, and has to try and fit into a completely new setting. She deals with a mother and sister who don't understand her and don't really try to relate to her. Then, there's the whole 'forbidden love' thing. Yup, she falls in love with a human boy. But more than that, he and his whole family are hunters. And more. You see where this is going?

Regardless of what that last paragraph sounds like, I actually really liked this book. A lot. I liked it in the same way that I really liked Twilight and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and this type of chick lit in general. I didn't read it to be 'literarily edified' or to read the 'best written book of all time'. I read it to be entertained, to read a good story, and to have some fun. Which, I did!

The writing was engaging and entertaining. The story begins with out main character, Jacinda, and her best friend going for an illegal flight as dragons. The rules for flight are very specific. Because they are hunted, they keep strict regulations on appearances as dragons and flying is only allowed at night. But Jacinda absolutely loves flying, and just can't resist getting in some extra flight time in the morning. Well, this ends up being a very bad idea. This lovely morning also happens to be the morning the hunters have come down, and it's all Jacinda can do to get her and her friend safely away from them.

I don't want to spoil too much of the story, because I really liked reading it without knowing much more than the basic premise (shape-shifting dragon, who is special enough to breathe fire, falls in love with dangerous human boy) so I won't say much more about the plot, but it's definitely an enjoyable read, well worth the few hours it took to read it. It's also a book where I enjoyed the actual reading experience more than I enjoy the book. (Does that make sense?!)

It's a pretty fast read, and one that, once I started, I didn't want to put down again. I think I ended up staying up until about 3am reading this one, because I really wanted to know how it ended. Sadly though, the ending was the worst part of the book. Not because it was bad, but because it was incomplete. This book is a planned series, and that is very obvious from the very unsatisfying ending. Jordan leaves a lot of ideas left unexplored and there are several story lines that are just left completely unresolved. It's made me incredibly anxious for the next book in the series to come out, and this one hasn't even been released yet! Sigh... It's going to be a long wait!

If any part of it sounds like something you are interested, or it's the style of book you normally like (YA paranormal/fantasy romance) then I definitely recommend you pick it up. It was an enjoyable read, and a story that I'll be following as it advances more. If you have read it, what did you think?