September Jacket Flap-a-thon

It's the end of September, already? Can someone please tell me where this year has gone?? Next thing I know, I'll have to sit down and do my best-of-the-year post. I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet...

Though how could I forget the Cybils nominations open at midnight, Eastern Time, tonight (so for you West Coast people, you don't have to stay up late...)? Click through the link to read the guidelines.

And here's the best from this month:

Shiver (Scholastic): "For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf — her wolf — is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human — or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever."

I liked how this one pairs the spare, winter feel of the book, but gives you a hint of the intensity of the love story.

Scumble (Dial Books):"Nine years after Mibs's "Savvy" journey, her cousin Ledge has just turned thirteen . . . But Ledger Kale's savvy is a total dud -- all he does is make little things fall apart. So his parents decide it's safe to head to Wyoming, where it's soon revealed that Ledge's savvy is much more powerful than anyone thought. Worse, his savvy disaster has an outside witness: Sarah Jane Cabot, reporter wannabe and daughter of the local banker. Just like that, Ledge's beloved normal life is over. Now he has to keep Sarah from turning family secrets into headlines, stop her father from foreclosing on Uncle Autry's ranch, and scumble his savvy into control so that, someday, he can go home. Starring a cast both fresh and familiar, "Scumble" brilliantly melds Ingrid Law's signature heart and humor with the legendary Wild West."

I just liked this one. It feels fun, whimsical, but grounded. Kind of like the book.

Mare's War (Knopf): "Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past. Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn’t your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she’s too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there’s more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the deep South and lied about her age to join the African American battalion of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. Told in alternating chapters, half of which follow Mare through her experiences as a WAC member and half of which follow Mare and her granddaughters on the road in the present day, this novel introduces a larger-than-life character who will stay with readers long after they finish reading."

The best flap copy, I think, is one that explains the book, but doesn't give anything (or at least much) away. This is a perfect example of that.

Other Books Read This Month:
Green
Dance With Them
The Red Pyramid
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (DNF)
The Youngest Templar: Trail of Fate
Ugly as Sin
Cracked Up to Be
Nine Parts of Desire
The Summer of Moonlight Secrets
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Running total: 131 books
Adult fiction: 22
YA: 47
MG: 37
Non-fiction: 15
Graphic Novel: 10
Didn't Finish: 7

Library Loot 2010-34

It's a light load this week; mostly because while I put a lot of books on hold, only one of them came in. There'll be more loot next week for you (and me).

Picture Books:
Pete's a Pizza, by William Steig
Where Is the Green Sheep?, by Mem Fox/Illus. by Judy Horacek
Farm, by Elisha Cooper
A Balloon for Isabel, by Deborah Underwood/Illus by Laura Rankin
Animal Crackers Fly the Coop, by Kevin O'Malley
One Too Many: A Seek & Find Counting Book, by Gianna Marino
The Squiggle, by Carole Lexa Schaefer/Illus. by Pierr Morgan

Young Adult:
Happyface, by Stephen Emond


The roundup is either at Adventures of an Intrepid Reader or The Captive Reader. Obligatory FTC note: the links are provided through my Amazon Associates account. If you click through and actually purchase one of these books, I'll get a teeny, tiny payment. But, since no one ever does, and it's SO much easier using the associates account to put up these links, I'm going to keep doing it.

2010 Challenge #2: Cybils

Since the nominations for this year's Cybils opens tomorrow (go nominate books!!), I figured now was as a good time as any to wrap up Michelle at Galley Smith's Cybils challenge! Sure, it goes until the end of the year, and I'm going to try and get to the few that I missed, but for the most part, I'm moving on.

Here's what I was able to find to read (the ones I didn't get to, for the most part, were because my library -- shame on them -- didn't have them):

YA:
Blue Plate Special, Michelle D. Kwasney
Carter Finally Gets It, Brent Crawford
Cracked Up to Be, Courtney Summers*
How to Say Goodbye in Robot, Natalie Standiford
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, Julie Halpern
North of Beautiful, Justina Chen
Wintergirls, Laurie Halse Anderson

(The library has Wild Nerd Yonder, so I'll probably read that sooner or later.)

MG Sci-Fi/Fantasy:
11 Birthdays, Wendy Mass
Dreamdark: Silksinger, Laini Taylor*
The Farwalker's Quest, Joni Sensel
Odd and the Frost Giants, Neil Gaiman
The Prince of Fenway Park, Juliana Baggott
The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories, Joan Aiken
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Grace Lin

YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy:
Candor, Pam Bachorz
The Demon's Lexicon, Sarah Rees Brennan
The Dust of 100 Dogs, A. S. King
Fire, Kristin Cashore*
Lips Touch Three Times, Laini Taylor
Sacred Scars, Kathleen Duey
Tiger Moon, Antonia Michaelis

(The library has Sacred Scars, and, in Graphic Novel, YA, Gunnerkrigg Court: Research, but as both of these are seconds in a series, and the library doesn't have the first, I probably won't read either.)

Graphic Novel, Middle Grade:
Creepy Crawly Crime, Aaron Reynolds
Adventures in Cartooning: How to turn your doodles into comics, James Sturm
The Stonekeepers Curse, Kazu Kibuishi
The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Curse, Eleanor Davis*
Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom, Eric Wight

Graphic Novel, YA:
The Dreamer: The Consequence of Nathan Hale (Part 1), Lora Innes
Gunnerkrigg Court: Orientatiom, Tom Siddell*
Crogan's Vengence, Chris Schweizer
Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Death and Dementia, Edgar Allen Poe
Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood, Tony Lee

Wow, my library is terrible at getting YA graphic novels. Wonder who I should speak to about this?

YA Non-Fiction:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, Phillip Hoose
The Frog Scientist, Pamela S. Turner*
I Can't Keep My Own Secrets, Larry Smith
Marching For Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You Grow Weary, Elizabeth Partridge
Written in Bone, Sally M. Walker

*2009 winners.

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

by Phillip Hoose
ages: 11+
First sentence: "Claudette Colvin: I was about four years old the first time I ever saw what happened when you acted up to whites."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

When I came across a brief mention of Claudette Colvin in Mare's War, I knew I needed to (finally) read this book, if only to find out a little bit more about who this girl was.

Told in a combination of narration and quoted memories from Claudette herself, the covers a broad range of history in Alabama, though it focuses specifically on Claudette, following her from early childhood through the late 1950s. It's a turbulent time in Alabama, and the book doesn't sugar coat much of anything: the treatment of blacks during the Jim Crow years, the conditions that they lived, worked and went to school in. Claudette had hopes of rising above all that, and she had a remarkable support system. She was opinionated, and curious, and willing to stand up for what she believed in. Which is why, one day, she just decided that she'd had enough of Montgomery's stupid backward bus laws/customs, and refused to get off her seat. Nine months before Rosa Parks did the same thing.

What surprised me most about this book -- and perhaps it shouldn't have -- was how much class came into play during the civil rights movement. I guess I kind of figured that all the blacks were fed up, that all the blacks would support whatever stand against segregation whomever it was that made them. According to the book and Claudette's memory, that wasn't so. She made a stand, but she wasn't the right class, wasn't the right person, it wasn't the right time... all among the reasons she wouldn't made a good poster girl for the cause. I suppose it's cynical to think so, but everything dealing with government is political, everything needs PR and the right spin, and the civil rights movement wasn't exempt.

That's not to say that it wasn't a worthy cause, just because it was politicized. It was. I just felt bad for Claudette. In many ways, she was courageous, and deserved to be honored for that. But, instead she was shunned and pushed to the side. No wonder she never made it into history books, even though she was the star witness on the lawsuit -- Browder v. Gayle -- that actually got the city of Montgomery to integrate the bus system. It's a portrait of an unsung hero, yes, but it's also a look into the politics of a movement.

Fascinating stuff.

Mare's War

by Tanita S. Davis
ages: 13+
First sentence: "It's just a sporty red car parked across our driveway, but when I see it, my stomach plummets."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

The last thing fifteen-year-old Octavia wants to do is spend the summer with her older sister, Talitha, and their grandmother, Mare. She'd rather be looking for a job. Or hanging with her friends. Anything but sitting in a car, driving from San Francisco to Alabama for a family reunion. All sorts of boring. Especially since she really doesn't get along with either Mare or Talitha.

Except as they start driving, Mare starts talking about her past: what made her run away from Bay Slough, Alabama and join up in the Women's Army Corps near the end of World War II. Her experiences in both a segregated south and a 1940s midwest, not to mention in the army. The chapters alternate between then -- Mare's history -- and now -- the road trip -- and as the book unfolds, we learn more about all three of our characters. It's an interesting journey, for both the characters as well as the readers. In the course of the book, Davis tackles both womens- and race-issues from rape to segregation to sibling rivalry to parental expectations and everything in between. It would seem like this would be a heavy-handed book, but it's not. It's got a lot to think about and talk about, but it's like a sugar-coated pill: it goes down easy. Mare's a fascinating character, all bumps and edges with a heart of gold underneath. And while I foiund Talitha and Octavia are less charming, they are certainly not uninteresting.

Which means this is one of those rare breeds of books: entertaining while educational at the same time. Well done.

Sunday Salon: Awesomeness in Kansas City

Friday, I took M and C to the So You Think You Can Dance tour up in Kansas City. Now, before you leave thinking, "But this is a book blog, why is she talking about a dance thing she took her kids to?" I do have something bookishly awesome to share. (By the way, it was a long way to drive, but we had a grand time.)

So, we got up to downtown Kansas City in good time, and not wanting to eat at the bars across from the Sprint Center (and yet, ironically, after an hour of wandering around that's where we ended up!), we started wandering the streets. We were nominally looking for restaurants, but I was also kind of enjoying looking at the architecture. At any rate, we kept turning down side streets, looking for something open -- interestingly enough, in a business district, there's not much open for dinner -- when we turned a corner and saw this:

I don't know if you can tell (not the world's best photograph), but that's -- from what we can figure -- a parking garage with murals of books on the side. The steps are books, too. We were in awe. The books ranged with their titles, too: there's poetry by Langston Hughes, The Tao de Ching, Romeo and Juliet, The Tale of Two Cities and, just when I was beginning to despair of any kids books:

There's Charlotte (if you can see her behind the trees).

The murals were fascinating to look at too; you can imagine that if you were a giant, this would be one awesome bookshelf. The only thing I regret is not finding out what the parking garage was for. (A library, perhaps?)

Oh, and happy Banned Books Week! Go celebrate by reading something banned.

Nine Parts of Desire

The Hidden World of Islamic Women
by Geraldine Brooks
ages: adult
First sentence: "The hotel receptionist held my reservation card in his hand."
Support your local independent books: buy it there!

When I read this back in 1995, when it first came out, I remembered being floored by it. It was fascinating, powerful, interesting, moving. It's what put Geraldine Brooks on the map for me (I loved her husband's, Tony Horwitz, writing, too), which is not something I regret.

Before I go on, this book is Brooks' investigation into the lives of women in Islamic countries. It's something only she can do -- obviously, being a woman -- and she tries to cover all aspects of how Islam, and the laws in majority-Islamic countries, affect the lives of the women in those countries. It runs the gamut: from veiling, to polygamy, to clitoridectomies, to travel, to politics and education. It focuses mostly on the Middle East: Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and a little bit of Iraq and Kuwait. She does dip into Pakistan and Africa, but only incidentally.

The thing that struck me most, this time around, was how much I wish that there was an updated version of all this. How did the Taliban change things in Afghanistan? Or the second Iraq war? How is the situation now, thirty years on, in Iran? The whole book -- while still interesting -- just felt dated.

Part of that was me, obviously: I think this was the first book I'd ever read on Islam, and while I'm not as well-read as some (like Amira), I do have a basic idea of the religion these days. And so I noticed things this time around that I didn't last time. Like, while Brooks has respect for the basic tenets of the religion, she really doesn't have much respect for those who try and interpret the religion. She's very critical of most Islamic governments, and many of the individual men. It's firey feminism at its finest, and while it's justified in many ways (genital mutilation is just wrong, period.), it's also heavy-handed. It's not that it's a bad thing, but (especially for a convert to Judaism, and someone who grew up Catholic; or maybe it's because of those things), it's almost like she willfully doesn't understand someone who could actually submit to the things these women submit to. Or why they would do it happily. It's like she's thinking: doesn't everyone want what a Western secularist wants? And if not, why?

I'm not sure I liked it as much this time around. Then again, I'm not sure how much it matters anymore. Brooks has written better books, and there are more interesting ones on Islam. Though sometimes it's nice to revisit old books just to see how well they hold up. Even if it's not all that well.

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets

by Danette Haworth
ages: 8+
First sentence: "'Hey!' I yell."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy sent to me by the publisher

Sometimes I find a book enjoyable, even though when I finish I have no idea why. This was one of those books. Nice and sweet, but left me wondering at the end just why I thought it was enjoyable. That, and what was it all about, anyway?

Told in alternating chapters, it's the story of Allie Jo, resident of the Merriweather Hotel in Hope Springs, Florida and Chase, who's there for a summer with his father while he's on a travel writing assignment. It's a little bit of everything: there's some historical fiction (well, it's set in the 80s, which calling historical kind of makes me cringe), there's a splash of fantasy, there's a bit of a growing up story, and an inkling of romance.

All of which were enjoyable: it was fun visiting the 80s, even though there really wasn't a whole lot to indicate that it was the 80s; just a few hints and references here and there. The growing up story was mostly Allie Jo's; she's an only child, introverted, and a tad bit ashamed of living in a hotel, even while she's proud of the legacy the Merriweather has. She has to learn, over the course of the book that she is okay with who she is, and that she's much stronger than she realizes.

The romance belongs to Chase (though he has a -- gasp -- divorce in his family to deal with), and it's a very sweet and slightly awkward one, as should be the case when you're only 13. But it was the fantasy element -- in this case, a twist on Irish folklore -- that made the book intriguing. There's a mystery to it as well, as Chase and Allie Jo meet and befriend Tara, they need to unravel just what it is that makes her special.

Even with all that (maybe it was too much?), I ended the book scratching my head. What was it about, really? What was the point? While I enjoyed it, I never really connected with it, never really felt any reason to think about it beyond when I was reading it. It didn't really capture my fancy.

But it was enjoyable. Maybe that should be enough.

Library Loot 2010-33

I missed library loot last week not because we didn't go, but because I didn't pick up anything for me and because it was BBAW. This week, however, neither of those apply (I've gone off hiatus; hopefully, I won't go out of control). So, here's our loot for the week:

Picture Books:
Rain & Hail (Let's Read-And-Find-Out Science), by Franklin M. Branley/Illus. by Harriet Barton
Wow! Said the Owl, by Tim Hopgood
Palazzo Inverso, by D. B. Johnson
Davy Crockett Gets Hitched, retold by Bobbi Miller/Illus. by Megan Lloyd
Princess Says Goodnight, by Naomi Howland/Illus. by David Small

Middle Grade:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice , by Phillip Hoose

Young Adult:
Dream Factory, by Brad Barkley and Heather Helper
Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones

Adult Fiction:
Girl in Translation, by Jean Kwok

The roundup is either at Adventures of an Intrepid Reader or The Captive Reader. Obligatory FTC note: the links are provided through my Amazon Associates account. If you click through and actually purchase one of these books, I'll get a teeny, tiny payment. But, since no one ever does, and it's SO much easier using the associates account to put up these links, I'm going to keep doing it.

I'm at a loss for words, amazingly enough. I am honored, thrilled, excited, amazed, and completely tickled to be a part of the Middle Grade Fiction Books panel again this year. And I'm also excited because it's a great panel of bloggers, many of whom I've worked with before and the few that I don't I'm excited to get to know.

Panel Organizer: Kerry Millar, Shelf Elf

Panelists (Round I Judges):

Ashley Bair and Alysa Stewart, Everead
Jennifer Donovan, 5 Minutes for Books
Sherry Early, Semicolon
Melissa Fox, Book Nut
Kyle Kimmal, The Boy Reader
Sandra Stiles, Musings of a Book Addict
Cheryl Vanatti, Reading Rumpus

Judges (Round II):

Amy Baskin, Euphoria
Eric Berlin, Eric Berlin
Jill Foltz, The O.W.L.
Kerry Millar (see category organizer)
Karen Wang, Kidsmomo

(The following is stolen shamelessly from Natasha at Maw Books because it's so thorough, and therefore, awesome):

What You Need to Do – Your Checklist

• Subscribe to the Cybils feed.
• Follow @cybils on Twitter
• Get some Cybils bling for your blog if you have one.
• Buy Cybils bling for your home or office.
• Spread the word! Particularly if you are a librarian or a teacher – get the Cybils into your schools & libraries!
• Beginning October 1st and ending October 15th- NOMINATE your favorite book published in the last year in nine different categories. Titles must be published from Oct. 16, 2009 and Oct. 15, 2010. Books must be published in English or bilingual with English. Only one nomination per genre per person. ANYBODY can nominate a title.
  • Easy Readers and Short Chapter Book
  • Fantasy and Science Fiction
  • Fiction Picture Books
  • Graphic Novels
  • Middle Grade Fiction
  • Nonfiction Picture Books
  • Nonfiction for Middle Grade and Teens
  • Poetry
  • Young Adult Fiction
• And last – get excited! Follow the nominations, read your favorites, make predictions, and check in when the shortlists and winners are announced.

Dates to Remember

• October 1-15th: Nominations open to the public
• New Year’s Day: Short Lists announced
• St. Valentines Day: Finalists announced

I love this time of year!

Cracked Up to Be

by Courtney Summers
ages: 16+
First sentence: "Imagine four years."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

Parker Fadley was perfect. Head cheerleader, best-ever boyfriend, honor roll (with distinction) three years running. But, it's her senior year, and she's been put on a suicide watch. Her grades are in the toilet, she quit the cheerleading team, she broke up with her boyfriend. It's all she can do to make it to school sober.

She just wants to be left alone.

Enter Jake Gardner, the "New Kid". He never knew Parker "before", has no reason to even like her now (she works really hard a making sure he doesn't have a reason), and yet, he's strangely attracted to her. It's work, it's not fun, but there is a deep, tragic problem here, and he will get to the bottom of it, even if Parker really doesn't want him to. Because it would be the undoing of everything.

It's an interesting novel, though not an easily accessible one. It's harsh, much in the way Laurie Halse Anderson's books are harsh: unflinching, dealing with subjects -- there's more, but mostly it's about a desire to be perfect and the emotional and psychological toll that exacts on a person -- that aren't usually tackled. There's a bit of a mystery as well, as the reason why Parker's fallen off the edge is slowly revealed. What really could have been so bad that she is desperately trying to throw her life away?

But, it's also a tough read because Parker is so incredibly unlikeable. Never once did I like her. I felt sorry for her, and by the end I could understand why she was acting the way she did. But, she was not likable in any way, shape or form. She was cruel to those around her -- again, it was something she always was, as is slowly revealed through the novel; her cruelness wasn't a symptom of her desperation -- and she was manipulative, using those around her as she saw fit. She cared only for herself, which made what happened that much more tragic. Yes, there is growth there, but -- perhaps realistically, which is another reason why it's so harsh -- it's infinitesimal, with only a glimmer of hope.

Thankfully, there's Jake. The book is told from Parker's point of view, but Jake somehow acts as a buffer between Parker and the reader. Because Jake is persistent in his questions and attentions, he is able to get past, albeit slowly, whatever barriers Parker has put up. It's because of Jake that the story is slowly revealed, that Parker's terrible secret finally comes to head. And it's because of Jake that the story is, ultimately (for me, at least), readable. He's the breath of fresh air in a very stagnant, very toxic environment.

It wasn't an enjoyable read, on any account. But it did keep me interested, and curious to see just what Parker was punishing herself for. It was tragic on so many levels, and yet not depressing. Which is a mark of a good novel. Even if it's not enjoyable.

Scumble

by Ingrid Law
ages: 10+
First sentence: "Mom and Dad had known about the wedding at my uncle Autry's ranch for months."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

Ledger Kane -- call him Ledge -- has a problem. See, his savvy has hit him full force and it's a doozy: it seems anything mechanical or man-made (from buildings to cars to watches) falls apart when he's around. And he's stuck out at his uncle Autry's ranch in Wyoming until he can learn to scumble -- or control -- his savvy. Which, at the rate it's going, may be never.

Of course, watching Ledge learn to scumble his savvy alone wouldn't make that interesting of a book. Set nine years after Savvy, there's a bunch of extended family members around to help Ledge with his issues. Rocket Beaumont's still trying to figure out how to manage his electrical savvy and have a normal life. And Samson and Gypsy are hanging around the ranch, lending a helping hand, as is Grandpa Bomba (though he's mostly patiently waiting to die). There's also cousins Marisol and Mesquite, Autry's twin daughters, and Ledge's sister, Fedora, to round out the cousin bunch. It's a motley crew, with personality conflicts and humor and affection. It made me wish for the throw-back days of allowing kids to wander freely, trying to figure out what to do with the day when there's no computer or TV or scheduled events to go to. In some ways, it's incredibly boring. But Law makes it sound like a little bit of heaven.

Life wouldn't be complete for a 13-year-old boy if there weren't some 13-year-old girl to give him some grief. For Legde, it's Sarah Jane Cabot, daughter of the local business mogul. She's an odd duck, a newspaper reporter, and always at odds with her father: she wants his attention, but she's also afraid of him. There is, of course, a push and pull relationship between Ledge and Sarah Jane: they need each other to figure things out, but, man, does he drive her batty.

It's another incredibly sweet, heart-warming (but without being overly smushy) book from Law. Creative, well-written, and thoroughly engaging, you can't help but want to be a part of their family.

Sunday Salon: The Future

I missed the final day of BBAW last Friday (something about a birthday...), and so didn't get to muse about my goals for the future.

It also means that I've had a bit more time to think about it.

I have often wondered -- sometimes with more angst than others -- about where I fit in here in the book blogosphere. I'm not quite an adult book blogger, but I'm not quite a kidlit one, either. Sometimes I wonder if I should just give up with blogging altogether, and other times I wonder if I should put in the effort to work at branding myself, finding that niche and working it for all its worth. I signed up for Twitter last year (nominally because my oldest did, but then I found out that all my bloggy friends were hanging out over there, too), and I sometimes wonder if I'm utilizing it -- or Facebook -- the way I should.

After thinking about all this, and stressing, and wondering, I came to a conclusion: this blog is, primarily, for me. I don't get paid to do it. If I'm not enjoying what I do, then there's really no point. So, if I work really hard at pushing my blog so I get readers, if I retool it so I have a niche, why am I doing it? To be more accepted the community? So I'm more popular? So I can get more free books?

Sure, but why?

There's no reason I can see that ultimately will benefit me. I don't want to change my reading habits; I enjoy reading broadly, and while I have a preference for children's and YA books, I don't want to restrict my blogging to just about them. I have a reputation for being honest in my reviews, which is something I value about myself. I actually don't want more free books; while it's kind of fun to be on the forefront of all the latest trends, I like supporting my local library, and I like the freedom to go with my whims.

So, the goals I've come up with for the next little while: I'm not going to stress over readers and followers and numbers. I'm going to write the reviews for myself. I'm going to read what I want, slowing down -- why do I need to read over 100 books a year, anyway? It's not a contest -- and indulging in rereading (which I've done this year, and found that I really enjoy). I'm going to comment when I have something to say, and not as a way to drive traffic to my blog. I'm going to not worry about "utilizing" the social media, and use them for the purpose that they were meant for: to be social, and as a way to connect with people who have similar interests (or in the case of Facebook, friends old and new) and as a way to find out new and fun and fascinating things. Or to just have a good laugh.

In short: I'm going to find the enjoyment I used to have in blogging. And I'm going to be a fan of all the wonderful bookish things there are out there. If I can't find that, then after nearly six years, there's really not much point in keeping it up, anymore.

A Blast from the Past

Since I have started blogging, I have celebrated four birthdays. I have mused about what life was like when I was a kid, been surprised by my husband (I think that was my favorite), shared a birthday/cake quote, and given you 25 things about me (plus cake).

I have thought long and hard about what I could share for this, my not-quite-40th birthday. And it has occurred to me that what there has not been enough of over the years (though there was this post...) is pictures of me being the crazy child that I was. (Well, that, and possibly embarrassing stories or maybe a bucket list... but those are for other years.)

So. Here is me in all my glory (click to embiggen):


Now I think I'm going to go eat some cake.

BBAW: Forgotten Treasure

What would a list of wonderful unsung books be without a couple of sources to find great less-popular (or less-well-known books) books, first?

Back in January, Kelly at YAnnabe organized a collection of unsung YA: books that are awesome, but just don't get the press of the big stuff. Take the time to look through the list; there are some really, really good books there.

Secondly, a plug for the Cybils. It is truly, honestly, one of the best places to find excellent childrens books. Check over the shortlists from last year, and there are many, many great books to be had.

What are some of my favorite unsung books (everything here has under 500 ratings at Goodreads, which is just my way of making sure they really are unsung):



The Night Fairy, by Laura Amy Schlitz
The Lost Conspiracy, by Frances Hardinge
Saving Maddie, by Varian Johnson
Shine, Coconut Moon, by Neesha Meminger
Carter Finally Gets It, by Brent Crawford
The Year My Son and I Were Born, by Kathryn Lynard Soper

There you have it. What are some of yours?

BBAW: Two in One

Since I missed Monday (due to a TLC tour commitment), I'm going to tackle that as well as today's topic.

First off, I need to give props to another Kansas book blogger: Philip Nel's a professor up at Kansas State University, directing the program in Children's Literature up there. He also blogs at Nine Kinds of Pie. It's a fascinating blogger.

Another blog I've found over the past year that I really enjoy reading is Books in the Spotlight; it's more kidlit -- mostly YA-oriented -- books, but she's thoughtful and reads books that I'd never think of picking up.

As for today's question... I'm often pushed by other bloggers; it's one of the reasons I like challenges. I wouldn't have picked up mystery books without Iliana at Bookgirl's Nightstand or horror (most notably Stephen King and Bram Stoker) without Carl's RIP challenge (which I didn't do on purpose this year, since I'm feeling way behind, but I really really really wanted to). Or reading more POC books or GLBT books. But if I had to pick something -- one thing -- in the past year, that a blogger has pushed me to read, it'd be books by Sarah Dessen.

I had heard of both of these before the past year, but had dismissed them out of hand: too girly, too chick-lit (and this is from someone who doesn't mind chick lit now and again). But, I think it was Em at Em's Bookshelf who pushed me to read my first Sarah Dessen. And... I loved it. I loved the way she writes characters, how the books are not fluffy at all but aren't depressing either. They are a perfect balance between realistic and swoony. And now I can't get enough of her.

How about you? What have you been pushed to try?

BBAW: 10 Questions for Teresa

For the interview swap, I got a newbie again this year: Teresa from Teresa's Reading Corner. From her profile blurb, she writes: "I am a working mom and wife who loves to read in the spare time that life allows. I love discussing books and have gotten so many fantastic book suggestions from the blogs that I've read. I decided it was time to take the plunge and share my love of books with others."

I loved getting to know a new bloggger!

MF: I've not been to your blog before -- one of the great things about BBAW! Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm looking forward to visiting a lot of new blogs this week! I have been a reader as far back as I can remember. Both of my parents are avid readers so we know how that got started! I live in Colorado with my husband, my son and our dog. I don't have a favorite genre that I always default to, but read a little bit of everything.

MF: How long have you been blogging? Why did you start?
I have been blogging for almost 7 months. I love chatting about books and thought that the blog would be an excellent avenue to spark conversation with others about books.

MF: Have you interacted with the book blogging community much? If so, what is it about the community that you like? (Any dislikes?)
I love the book blogging community. As I was starting out I asked a lot of questions and got a lot of support from many different bloggers. I think that it is great that so many were willing to reach out and help a newbie.

MF: What keeps you picking up the next book?
Reading is how I unwind. I love escaping into the story. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't read!

MF: Buyer or borrower? Why?
I tend to be more of a buyer. I love being surrounded by books and the experience of wandering around the bookstore looking at all of the covers.

MF: You work and you're a mother: when do you find time to read?
I read whenever I can. Usually it is after my little monkey goes to bed or during my lunch hour while at work.

MF: And now for the round of five (if you can, five of each please...):
Foods/beverages you can't live without?
Coffee, pizza, chocolate, steak, green chiles

Places to you'd love to go (fictional or non)?
Australia, England, Italy, New York, San Diego

Favorite characters?
Jamie and Claire Fraser from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon are by far my favorite characters.

Books you think everyone should read?
This one is a tough one. I think people should read whatever makes them happy as long as they are reading. I do think that people should try reading an author or genre before they claim that they don't like it. Far too many people dismiss things based on assumptions that may or may not be true.

Thanks, Teresa! Be sure to pop by her blog to see what questions she asked me.

Ugly as Sin

The Truth About How We Look and Finding Freedom from Self-Hatred
by Toni Raiten-D'Antonio
ages: adult
First sentence: "I am ugly."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by TLC Book Tours

We've all seen, and probably read, those image books. How we're supposed to accept the way we are (or help our daughters do so). How we can be our best selves by doing X or Y or Z. How we can embrace ourselves and stop loathing ourselves.

And yet, none of them really get to the root of the problem: we all fear, on some level, rejection because we don't measure up to some (unattainable) standard of beauty. Because we are, gasp, ugly. Which is exactly what D'Antonio tackles head-on.

The basic thesis is that we -- especially as women, but really everyone -- spend so much of our time being afraid of getting/being ugly that it affects everything we do. In the way we relate to people, in the way we treat ourselves. She asserts that it's the root cause of eating disorders, that it may (not necessarily, but quite probably) be the reason we spend so much time exercising, or on hair dye or fashion. We have taken what should be natural -- aging, especially, but also just the way we naturally look -- and have transformed it into something unreal.

It's a comprehensive, if abbreviated, look at the role of beauty through the ages, especially in Western culture. D'Antonio covers everything from the origins of ugliphobia through it's place in culture, relationships, and self awareness. It's a bit to glossed over to be truly thorough, and many of the ideas have been written about elsewhere using different language: be true to yourself, improve your character not your appearance. But one has to give D'Antonio some credit: she is blunt and forthright not only about being ugly, but about her own experience with it. This book is almost a memoir: it's her personal experience with accepting herself the way nature made her and her determination to disregard what society wants her to be. And, hopefully, reach others like her.

And the solution? It's simplistic, and one I have heard many times before, but possibly could work: give in to your better self, and stop looking at the outside. Improve the inside. And if you do give into the beauty regimen, make sure it's something you want to do, not one that you feel you have to do. It's not something that will change the beauty-obsessed culture overnight, but perhaps, one person at a time, we can all become more at peace with who we are.

Thought-provoking, to say the least.

Sunday Salon: On Series

On Thursday, I put up a review that was essentially a rant about three little words: To Be Continued.

What I was trying to get at was the frustration I feel at the cliff-hanger endings that those three words represent. As a couple commenters put it in the original post, I have no problem with series where the story goes from one book to the next. What I have a problem with is books -- and this seems to only happen in middle grade books -- where the story, the action, just stops.

I've thought about series a lot since I finished Mockingjay, actually. About what makes a series good for me, especially. But also, what makes series books appealing. The second one is easy: I think a lot of it has to do with familiarity, and revisiting characters we love. There are times, true, when it's the story that keeps us coming back for the next book -- Hunger Games is an obvious example, as is Harry Potter: it's the characters, yes, but Collins and Rowling also wrote stories that kept us wondering -- and talking about -- what happens next.

And yet, they are also two examples -- Percy Jackson is a third -- where each book could stand on its own. They're part of a larger story, yes, and it's best to read them in order. But each individual story has a beginning, a middle, and most importantly, and end. Each story comes to its own conclusion while keeping us intrigued as to where the larger story is going.

Sure, there are other ways to handle a series -- Narnia and Wrinkle in Time are two examples that I can think of where it's familiar characters having new adventures in each book (again: an ending!) -- but whatever way it's managed, and for however long the series goes on (though, honestly, I think if a series goes beyond say, 5 books -- or doesn't have any foreseeable ending -- then it's just the author not being able to come up with any new ideas. Is that harsh of me?), the books must -- MUST -- have a unique ending.

What do you think: do you have any strong opinions on series books?

Shiver

by Maggie Stiefvater
ages: 13+
First sentence: "I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm going cold, surrounded by wolves."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy won from Scholastic

First off: okay, okay, okay. I should have read it sooner. I should have listened to all you fans of Maggie Stiefvater out there. But better late than never. Right?

For the five of you out there who haven't read this: think Twilight, but better written and with werewolves instead of vampires. It's still the same story: human girl falls in love with paranormal boy, but it's got so much more depth than Bella and Edward.

Grace is eleven when she's attacked by wolves. She figures she's going to die, but something - someone -- saves her. She just knows it's the wolf with the yellow eyes, her wolf. In the six years that follow, every winter, she looks for the wolf, only satisfied when she knows he's near.

Sam, hates his life: wolf when it's cold, human when it's warm. And he knows his time is growing short. So when he's shot -- on purpose; the wolves have bitten and killed another resident of their small Minnesota town, and so the men take to the forest with guns to "solve" the problem -- and turns back into a human, he turns to Grace. It's only then that they realize how much they care for and need each other -- and yes, love each other -- and the cruel fate that awaits them unless they can figure out a way to stop Sam from changing back.

That's obviously not enough to hold a book of this size, and so Stiefvater gives us the background story. But, unfolds it slowly, a piece here, a nibble there. And then there's Grace's friend Olivia, who's almost as obsessed with the wolves as Grace is. Or Isabel, the sister of the unfortunate boy who was killed. There's a lot of balls to be juggled in this book, aside from the love story, but Stiefvater manages to juggle them quite admirably. More than admirably: the writing was lyrical, evocative, sensuous. Almost poetic. And the chemistry: oh, the chemistry.

Which means: I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

The Youngest Templar: Trail of Fate

by Michael P. Spradlin
ages: 10+
First sentence: "The room was full of bright light with a glare so intense that I closed my eyes."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy sent to me (ages ago) by the publisher.

Dear authors of a series:

I enjoy a series as much as the next person. Really I do. There are characters I love that I want to spend more time with. And if you'd like to keep writing books about these characters, I won't mind.

But, honestly: as much as I love these characters, and as fun and interesting and gripping your story is, I do have a problem. See, even if Tristan and Robard and Maryam (I didn't get it until this book: it's Robin and Marian!) are bouncing around France in the 12th century (was it called France in the 12th century?) I'd like the book to actually end by the ending. I was enjoying the book -- sure it was a bit heavy-handed, but I figured, hey, it's campy Robin Hood, I can handle that -- and then, wham, the three words I hate most: TO BE CONTINUED.

Seriously?

Seriously? It's an intense climax, a showdown at noon, a holdup, and you give us TO BE CONTINUED?

My first reaction is that you totally want to sell the next book. That you're not confident enough with the story to give us an ending, trusting that we'll want to visit with the characters in the next book. There is no call for TO BE CONTINUED in a series. It's a cop out. A wimpy strategy. It is possible to give us an ending for the book, and still have us wanting to come back for more.

And honestly, I prefer it that way.

Thanks.
Melissa

Library Loot 2010-32

No books for me this week. Though Rocky Road has the absolute cutest cover, which makes me kind of want to read it. So, maybe I will. (Not that I don't have anything else to read or anything...)

Picture Books:
Eugene's Story, by Richard Scrimger/Illus. by Gillian Johnson
Giddy up! Let's Ride!, by Flora McDonnell
A Boy Had a Mother Who Bought Him a Hat, by Karla Kuskin/Illus. by Kevin Hawkes
Summer Is Summer, by Phillis and David Gershator/Illus. by Sophie Blackall
Moon Bear, by Brenda Z. Guiberson/Illus. by Ed Young
Willoughby & the Moon, by Greg Foley
Sir Ryan's Quest, by Jason Deeble


Middle Grade:
Mallory Goes Green!, by Laurie B. Friedman
Rocky Road, by Rose Kent
Kimchi & Calamari, by Rose Kent
Dragon's Breath, by E.D. Baker
Three Tales of My Father's Dragon, by Ruth Stiles


The roundup is either at Adventures of an Intrepid Reader or The Captive Reader. Obligatory FTC note: the links are provided through my Amazon Associates account. If you click through and actually purchase one of these books, I'll get a teeny, tiny payment. But, since no one ever does, and it's SO much easier using the associates account to put up these links, I'm going to keep doing it.

The Red Pyramid

The Kane Chronicles, Book One
by Rick Riordan
ages: 10+
First sentence: "We only have a few hours, so listen carefully."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

On the one hand: it's everything we've come to expect in a Rick Riordan book: fast-paced, witty, engaging, and an interesting overarching theme to tie a series together. He tackles Egyptian mythology this time, creating a world in which the gods exist, where there is magic, and the balance between chaos and order is failing.

We follow the adventures of the Kane siblings: 14-year-old Carter and 12-year-old (almost 13!) Sadie as they are thrust into this world of good and evil, gods and goddesses, magic and magicians. They've been living apart for the past six years, ever since their mother died. Carter's been traveling the world with their archeologist father, and Sadie's been parked in London with their grandparents. However, things are heating up, and on one Christmas Eve, their father decides to do the unthinkable: raise the gods in order to bring his wife back from the dead. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned, and he releases all five of the major Egypitian gods: Osiris, Horus, Isis, Nephthys and the big bad guy Set, who plans to take over the world.

Of course it's up to our heroes to figure out how to swim in this big, scary stream and figure out how to stop Set. And, of course they manage it (with a few bumps and bruises along the way).

On the other hand, though, it was just more of the same. I couldn't help but compare this series to the Percy Jackson one, and while I enjoyed reading this, I felt that the Percy books were tighter, that the mythology was better used. The magic in this one almost seemed like cheating, instead of a natural outgrowth of the character's situation. And while I usually enjoy Riordan's silly asides, this time -- he had the characters trade off chapters and whenever they switched, there would be some sort of snide comment -- it interrupted the flow of the story. Sure, they were funny at first, but after a while they grated.

Granted, those are only two quibbles in a more than 500 page book (well, there are three: Percy felt tighter because it was shorter; did we really need to go 500 pages to tell this story?). It really is a fun read. Not as good as Percy, but good.

Dance with Them

30 Stumbling Mothers Share Glimpses of Grace
edited by Kathryn Lynard Soper
ages: adult
First sentence: "I clambered up the fronts steps of the elementary school, sweaty and panting, with an infant, a toddler, and a preschooler in tow."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy sent to me by the editor.

Writing about motherhood is a tricky thing. How to balance the weight of one's personal experiences as a mother, and yet not come off as a know-it-all? How does one impart advice to those following after you, with similar problems and not seem arrogant?

The answer I have to give you lies in this book. It's a series of personal essays on all aspects of motherhood/wifehood: divorce, step parenting, parenting children other than your own, children with disabilities, growing up, teenagers, mistakes, growth, tears, and joy. It's all faith-based, but not necessarily overtly religious; these are women who are trying to make sense of their lives, of the cards that Fate and God and Choice have dealt them. While reading, it's easy to relate to and feel for each individual author, learning and growing with her on her journey. Sure, it can be trite: here are the "lessons learned" while experiencing this inevitable trial that came with being a mother. But it never felt saccharine.

Like with Nurture Shock, the essays that resonated with me most were the once on teenagers. They were equal parts terrifying (really? That much running around and sleep deprivation?) and encouraging (they do turn out okay in the end, right?), they gave me hope and courage that not only am I not in this alone, but also that I can do it. I can raise four girls, and end up sane in the end.

I'm not exactly a reflective person; I tend to take life as it comes and let it flow over me. But this book helped me stop and think and enjoy, for a moment, a little bit of what being a mother and wife can possibly be. Which is exactly why there are books like these.

(Full disclosure: I do know and like the editor, though we have not met in person, and I do know several of the authors of the stories. I'm not sure that affected the way I read the book, but you never know.)

Sunday Salon: Odds and Ends (a little late)

I meant, honestly, to get this up yesterday. And I had a couple of ideas kicking around my brain, but, Hubby was out of town for the past three days, I've hardly been on the computer (even though my laptop was returned to me, after having the power jack break. I have no idea how a power jack breaks, but it did.), and I just didn't get things together enough to write much of anything.

However, I have two links for you. One: if you haven't seen the announcement floating around, it's Cybils time again! The call for judges is out. I've had a ton of fun participating for the past two years. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of people vying for a few slots, but do think about throwing your hat in. It's a great thing to be a part of. If that doesn't sound like your cuppa tea, be thinking about the best childrens/middle grade/young adult books of the past year: nominations open October 1.

And, for your Sunday entertainment... Aaron Mead is doing a series on kidlit bloggers, and he interviewed me for the series. (Am I the only one who feels like she sounds stupid when she reads her answers to the questions after the fact? I really meant to be funny. Honest.)

I think that's about it. I'd promise to have something more substantial next week, but perhaps that's just too high of expectations....

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

by Rebecca Wells
ages: adult
First sentence: "Sidda is a girl again in the hot heart of Louisiana, the bayou world of Catholic saints and voodoo queens."

I've seen this around for years (I think I've even seen the movie), and I always thought, off hand, that it would be an interesting book to read. Mother-daughter relationships, the South, and a promise to laugh and cry and be swept away.

And I tried to read it. I tried to like it. I tried. But...

*yawn*

I didn't even make it 100 pages in, and I was bored stiff. Bored with Sidda and her whining. Bored with her attempts to find love and embrace life. Bored with the story. I did like Vivi as an adult; she had spunk and a fiery spirit, but there just wasn't enough of her. I'm sure if I had given it time, I may have even grown to like the flashbacks to the Ya-Yas childhood. But the jumping around in time was bugging me, and I bailed after Vivi and Caro were scrubbing the Virgin Mary from Cuba white again.

Enough. I don't have time to deal with this, and I exercised my right to stop reading.

Sometimes, doing that is really quite liberating.

Green

by Larua Peyton Roberts
ages: 10+
First sentence: "Four or five things arrived for me on my thirteenth birthday."
Support your local independent bookstore, buy it there!

Lily hates moving. She hates adjusting to a new home, making new friends. And it's been especially hard in the last two years since her favorite grandmother, Gigi, has died. And yet, here she is, in another town, on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, trying to fit in, trying to make friends.

And then a package arrives for her -- addressed to her in her full name, Lilybet, which no one EVER uses -- and blows up, causing a mild concussion. So, admittedly, when she starts seeing little Green men -- leprechauns from the Green clan -- she wonders if it's real or if it's just her head playing tricks on her. But, once she gets to the Meadow (kidnapped would be the word for it), and is told that she either passes three tests to become the clan's keeper of the gold, or she'll lose all memories of her grandmother, she decides that it is very real indeed.

We follow Lily through her three tests, each more difficult than the other, as she learns to accept the reality of the leprechauns and learns to love them as her grandmother did. There are some ups and downs, some easy outs and not-that-great moments, but overall it's a fun little take on a bit of folklore.

Library Loot 2010-31

I went through my stacks of books and found twenty (only twenty!) that I would like to finish before the end of September. And yet, another three books (only three!) came in on hold for me. What I could use right now is Hermione's time-turner...

Picture Books:
One of Us, by Peggy Moss/Illus. by Penny Weber
Clever Crow, by Cynthia DeFelice/Illus. by S.D. Schindler
Bubble Homes and Fish Farts, by Fiona Bayrock/Illus. by Carolyn Conahan
You Can't Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum, by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Preiss Glasser
A Crazy Day at the Critter Café, by Barbara Odanaka/Illus. by Lee White
Owl at Home, by Arnold Lobel
A Fabulous Fair Alphabet, by Debra Frasier

Middle Grade:
Scumble, by Ingrid Law

YA:
Mare's War, by Tanita S. Davis

Non-Fiction:
Alive, by Piers Paul Read

The roundup is either at Adventures of an Intrepid Reader or The Captive Reader. Obligatory FTC note: the links are provided through my Amazon Associates account. If you click through and actually purchase one of these books, I'll get a teeny, tiny payment. But, since no one ever does, and it's SO much easier using the associates account to put up these links, I'm going to keep doing it.