All The Books: April 28, 2012

I've had some questions about this, so if anyone else wants to "borrow" this feature, feel free to use/adapt it however you like (although leaving me a comment/link would be awesome so I can read yours!) For me, All The Books is essentially going to work as a round-up of every sort of book news and book excitement I've had over the week: what I've read, what I'm reading, new books I want to read, any events I've gone to or new covers/book deals I'm jazzed about. I'm considering setting up a linky for next week, so let me know in the comments if a linky for this feature/meme would be good or not. Also: I'm using Saturday as my day for this one, but that's just me -- really, any day of the week is fine.

BOOKS I'M READING

I was so excited this week to finally read Siobhan Vivian's The List. A review is forthcoming, but suffice to say it's well worth reading. One of the more powerful books I've read in a long time and a perfect example of why those who look down their noses at YA are wrong. I also reread Bloomability, which I love just as much as ever. My first Adventures in Rereading post about the experience will be up soon. At the moment I'm (finally) reading The Rivals, which is the sequel to The Mockingbirds. I'm not very far into it but already so interested.

BOOKS ON THE LIST

After reading Forever Young Adult's review of 172 Hours On The Moon, I absolutely had to add it to my wishlist despite it's creepy/gross eyelashes cover.

NEW & UPCOMING BOOKS

Even though I haven't ordered it yet, I'm mega-happy about Terra Elan McVoy's newest book, Being Friends With Boys. I'll be hosting a giveaway of her books (yep, all of them!) in the next week and you can gain an extra entry by commenting on my interview with the author.

I'm also really excited about The Selection and also the TV show based on it, which I just found out stars Aimee Teegarden. AIMEE. TEEGARDEN. I want the book and I want the show and I want them both now, please.

BOOK EVENTS

I was really lucky this past week to get to attend two different book events -- the LA Times Festival of Books and the San Diego YA or Bust tour stop at Mysterious Galaxy bookstore. First, the LAFoB. I sat in on a panel on Realistic YA with Blake Nelson, Siobhan Vivian, and Jessi Kirby. They discussed writing contemporary/realistic versus more fantasy-based books and how the stakes, though different, can often feel just as high in a realistic YA novel because it's the sort of things teenagers actually go through. Jessi Kirby in particular made an excellent comment about how Vivian's newest book, The List (about eight girls who have been labeled the prettiest or ugliest in their grades), has, in a way, the highest stakes imaginable for a teen book. Blake Nelson mentioned how, in conversations between teenage girls that can sound mostly vapid and bubble-gummy, there will be occasional bursts of pure genius. I was lucky enough after the panel to meet Siobhan Vivian, get my books signed, and talk to her about multiple POV books (since my last first draft has five main characters). She's a total sweetheart and I absolutely loved getting a chance to talk writing with her for a few minutes. Though I didn't get a picture with her, I did get some fuzzy shots of the panel as it was happening.

L to R: Blake Nelson, Siobhan Vivian, Jessi Kirby

I also managed to find John Corey Whaley's signing booth at the LAFoB, which was quite a trek because ohmygosh, that place was nowhere near the rest of the YA things. John Corey Whaley, for those who don't know, is the incredible author who won both the Printz and the Morris Awards this year for his debut novel, Where Things Come Back. I got to meet him (and actually remembered to get a picture) and this was awesome not only because he's such a great author but also because he remembered me from Twitter and remembered this long-ago post I wrote about his book.

John Corey Whaley and me (Jordyn)

The second event I went to this week was the San Diego tour stop for the YA or Bust tour with Gayle Forman, Stephanie Perkins, and Nina LaCour. This was especially exciting because these three ladies are three of my favorite authors. They've each written one (or more!) book(s) that I really love and that has really stayed with me. Kirsten Hubbard hosted the panel they did where they described each other's newest books, talked about what's next for them (I'm so excited for Gayle Forman's next two books, which come out only like six months apart!), and the music that helped inspire their books. Gayle Forman played us part of the song she listened to while writing If I Stay, and also the Heart song that's talked about in Nina LaCour's latest, The Disenchantments. You guys, I got SIX books signed at this event and was so happy to get to talk to the authors. I actually met Gayle Forman ages ago when If I Stay came out and she did an event in LA -- to this day what she wrote to me when she signed that book is one of my favorite-ever book signing messages. So it was great to talk to her again (and she remembered me!), as well as meet Nina LaCour (so nice!) and Stephanie Perkins and get a chance to talk to them a little bit. They were super-encouraging as far as my own writing (yes, I told them how my "publishing journey" is going) and seemed so happy to meet everyone. (Also, I got one of the posters for The Disenchantments.) Here's this fuzzy picture from the event. (Oh, also I ran into Cindy Pon there -- hey Cindy!)

L to R: Kristin Hubbard, Nina LaCour, Gayle Forman, and Stephanie Perkins