I've Been Gone

Contrary to what you might think judging from the state of this blog, I actually haven't given up blogging and I actually am still around. So instead of blogging, here's what I have been doing lately...

1. Reading Cybils nominees, which I actually need to be doing more of. I think maybe I read so many books in October (30, I think? Or really close to it) that it burnt me out on reading and now I'm slacking a bit and yet still I sort of feel like I'm reading all the time. Which is GOOD and I love it except for the fact that I sort of never feel like blogging, which is a problem.
2. Writing. I'm in the middle of working on a new first draft which is in the very-very-very early stages, and jumping BACK into edits/revisions/rewritings of Sing Me Away as I get feedback from my beta readers. Writing always takes precedence over blogging, which is another reason my blogging has been sort of horrible lately.
3. COOKING. Not real cooking, not like fancy fancy people real cook cooking. But I have been making lots of macaroni and cheese from scratch, chicken pot pies, and I also made banana bread. It was all very yummy.
4. Watching Friends. I don't know why, but I've been watching this show over again. Except that I skipped the first season, I don't know why. But it's so funny, right!?

ANYWAY.

I'm trying to get back into blogging. I miss it. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE BOOKS AGAIN.

PS. I also went to the launch party for Shatter Me. I know! WIN. I now have a shiny signed copy.

In My Mailbox: Firsts!

BOOKS.

Bought: Ahhh I feel like I've been waiting for this ebook (by a bunch of '09 Debs) to come out FOR-EVER. But now it's finally here!!! The only sad thing is that cover is WAY TOO PRETTY to be relegated to an ebook, right? That font! Love it. Can't wait to read.

I've also gotten a bunch of Cybils books this week, but I'm not including them as lately IMM has started doing double-duty as not only a record of my books, but also a list of things I can't wait to read after Cybils season. That said, I'm excited to read The Anti-Prom.

Parents, Teens, and Inappropriate Reading Material

Yesterday I saw this article about the banning of Nina LaCour's amazing debut novel Hold Still (among others) from a Kansas City high school library. To be honest, it annoyed me beyond belief. (The whole ongoing incident, not the article itself.) It's so clear to me that this is not the way to handle your son or daughter reading a book that you find inappropriate. But maybe it's not so clear to everybody, and definitely I think that there are solid, legitimate reasons to not want your child to be reading something. Books, like any other form of media, aren't all good for all people.

And I fully realize that most people who will read this post either already know all this stuff or don't have children anyway or would never have a problem with anything their kid wants to read, but still I want to post it. It's easy to say that censorship is wrong and banning is bad, but it's also important to discuss how the issues that parents have with books can be handled in a beneficial way and mature way.

So You Don't Like Your Child/Teenager Reading That Book 

Step One: Know what it is in the book that you think is inappropriate. Is it cussing? Drugs? Sex? The overall theme? 

Step Two: Why do you not want your teen reading the book? Is it that you have value-based (religious/ethical) objections to it? Do you think your son or daughter isn't old enough or mature enough to handle the content? If it's drugs, sex, or cussing (three big topics) that are making you uncomfortable -- is it just that it makes you uncomfortable to know that your teen is reading something with that sort of content?

If your objection is based on a feeling of uncomfortableness, step back for a minute. Look at your teenager's environment and look outside of your own home: think about the school they go to, the friends they hang out with, extended family influences, etc etc. And then ask yourself if you're uncomfortable because you really think they'll be harmed by reading that book or if you're uncomfortable because you're just uncomfortable. Is it really an issue with the book? (Hint: probably not. Probably it has more to do with not wanting your teen to be subjected to unpleasant parts of life or not wanting them to grow up too fast or or or... anything else that doesn't really have to do with the story or how it's written.)

If, however, your objection is based on something more -- the overall content of the book or the values/actions portrayed, then...

Step Three: Know what you're talking about. Ideally this would mean reading the book, but if you don't feel comfortable reading the book at least some good, in-depth reviews of it. You may have misinterpreted what you think it's about or, then again, maybe you didn't. Either way, it's good to know.

Step Four: Talk to your teen. Wait, let me repeat that again. TALK. TO. YOUR. TEEN. Tell them your objections. Have a conversation about why this book is unacceptable or inappropriate or whatever word you want to use. Decide together if the book is one that shouldn't be read in your family. If the book is one that your teen is reading for enjoyment, this is where it ends. Don't try to get the book banned from the school, please. If this is an assigned reading book that you have some real objections to then...

Step Five: Talk to your teen's teacher. Set up a meeting where you can discuss your concerns and decide on a course of action; maybe there's a substitute book that could be read instead.

A parent's course of action should not be to try and get the book in question taken out of school. What's too mature or inappropriate for one student is right for another student. Teenagers are people. They do not all come from the same environments or have the same maturity level or the same interests. Blocking a book from other students because you don't want your teenager reading it or you don't think any teenagers - or even any people, really - should read it is harmful to those teens who, maybe, would benefit from reading it. Sure, there are exceptions, but these exceptions are probably books like A How-To Guide for Killers or something like that. They're not the books on your ninth grader's extra credit reading list. 

A Blogger Pet Peeve

For a while there I was reviewing every single title I read for the Cybils. It completely wore me out -- I've read over 20 books since Oct. 1st and as much as I want to I just can't put my usual amount of time, thought, and energy into writing the reviews as I normally do. At least, not if I also want to do everything else in life. You can tell from the weird lack of posts on my blog that it was wearing me out. I'm going to continue reviewing Cybils books, but it'll likely just be the ones that really speak to me or that I really want to share with you guys.

In non-Cybils, non-review news, I do have so many posts I want to write and lately I just haven't found the energy to write them. So, my apologies. Today I really do have a post to write though! I've had a few slightly strange review pitches come to me in the past few weeks and I kind of want to comment on them because this particular thing is starting to be a Blogger Pet Peeve of mine.

Please please please don't say you're a fan of my blog if you're not. Authors and publicists, when you email saying that you love my blog I think it's awesome. When you go on to pitch your fantasy epic/paranormal romance trilogy/historical memoir, I can't help but think you're lying to me just a little bit. Maybe you're not lying, maybe you do read my blog but just haven't checked my review guidelines.

In any case, let me say: if you're pitching your book to me please read my guidelines. I don't read paranormal. I don't read fantasy. This is a blog of YA (and sometimes MG), which means that I'm not going to review mainstream (adult) fiction, memoirs, or nonfiction aimed at adult readers. It's just because I've chosen to give this blog a narrow focus that works well for me and -- I hope -- my readers.

Review: Ten Miles Past Normal

TEN MILES PAST NORMAL
Frances O'Roark Dowell
Atheneum

When she was nine years old, Janie Gorman thought it would be awesome to live on a farm. Five years later she's beginning high school and realizing firsthand the havoc that actually living on a farm will play with her social life. Separated from her friends from middle school she spends most lunchtimes in the library and though she longs to be normal it's not until she starts to find some decidedly not-normal friends that she thinks there might be something better than that.

It's been a while since I've read a book I've just flat out liked as much as this one. It's easy to slip into Janie's crazy, goat-milking life, and despite her protests that she just wants to be normal it's clear that "normal" is one thing Janie will never be. And that's a good thing. While her best friend Sarah is on a tirade against cocoa (yeah), Janie finds herself doing things she never imagined. Joining the Jam Band, for instance, making friends with a boy named Monster, and discovering the bravery of those in her town.

This book has great characters, not least of whom is Sarah's older, wilder sister, Emma. I want to be best friends with Emma. Scratch that, I want to be Emma. She's freakin' awesome. So is Monster. So is Janie, and her mom, and her sister, and her dad, and her new friend Verbena. This book is full of the kind of characters that are both awesome and realistic, and a lot of this is due to the amazing dialogue. From the very start the dialogue in this book captured me -- way before I knew how awesome the rest of it is. Dialogue is one of those things I often overlook in my reviews, in favor of discussing the plot or characters or setting, but when it's really great, dialogue definitely makes an impact.

Despite the fact that Janie lives on a farm, the setting is not the strongest part of this book. It's not weak by any means, but the amazing characters and Janie's journey from surly to powerful takes over anything else the book has to offer. Despite the offbeatness of it, Janie's personal journey is one we can all relate to and it's a book I'd feel more than comfortable recommending to just about anybody. Authentic, sweet, and with a surprisingly powerful heart.

Why I Love Contemporary YA, by Cara from Chasing Words

I'm participating in Just Contemporary Month, hosted by the blogs Chick Loves Lit and Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing. My first blog swap is with Cara, from Chasing Words, who writes about why she loves contemporary YA. You can head over to her site if you want to read my post on the same topic.

I love reading contemporary YA because there are no wizards in my high school.

I love reading contemporary YA because I can't sic my dragon on mean girls in the halls.

I love reading contemporary YA because I don't know any ninjas who can save me from tripping in front of a crowd.

I love reading contemporary YA because it helps me live vicariously through others while not going into an entirely fictionalized world.

I love reading contemporary YA because the boys aren't always bad.

I love reading contemporary YA because the word "swoon" is almost never used when describing said boys.

I love reading contemporary YA because it includes awkward characters in awkward situations sometimes. Not everyone is built like Fabio or that wolf from Twilight.

I love reading contemporary YA because sometimes I feel as though I'm the only one experiencing something and contemp. YA reminds me that I'm not alone, ever.

I love reading contemporary YA because it's exciting and moving and emotional and hysterical. Because it's brilliant and corny and interesting and eye-roll inducing. Because it's real.

I love reading contemporary YA.

Review: The Future of Us

THE FUTURE OF US
Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Razorbill

It's 1996 and Emma's friend Josh has just given her an AOL CD-ROM to go with the computer her dad bought her. When she creates an email address, she accidentally stumbles fifteen years into the future -- onto her future self's Facebook page. Once they get past thinking the page is an elaborate practical joke, Emma and Josh realize that they can see their futures -- and what they see isn't what they're expecting. As Emma tries to change the future and Josh tries to hang on to it, each of them must take a step towards what they want now.

I'm just old enough to be totally spazzing out about a book set in the 90s. All the references! The sly future in-jokes! I'm old enough to remember 1996, in a very child-like way (because, um, I was SIX) but honestly I don't think the time period is going to throw off a lot of teen readers the way you might expect. Even if someone doesn't remember the particular reference or year, they'll easily find their footing amidst all the music references and VHS-talk. This book has a cool mix of being slightly old-school and offering up Back-to-the-Future-style shenanigans; this is where it's true appeal lies. The premise is pure AWESOME.

Beyond the premise, I didn't always love the two main characters, Emma and Josh. Emma, who goes a bit crazy with trying to change her future, is a bit prickly. She seems to know exactly who she doesn't want to be, but has no idea who she does want to be and there were many points in the book where I just got irritated with her as I felt like she kept missing the point. She could be a little dense. Josh, on the other hand, is the ultimate Nice Guy. He's got a crush on Emma (or did, at least) and finds it easy to go along with what she and her other friends suggest without making many decisions for himself. If the book had been reliant on the characters alone, it would have been an okay-but-bland read. Luckily, this wasn't the case. Some readers might not love that the future world Emma and Josh discover can be changed by the decisions they make in 1996, but I thought this was a great part of the book and brought into play some incredibly interesting themes having to do with happiness, personal responsibility, and the ripples that seemingly small changes can create in the future. Though I sometimes felt like Emma went too far in her small-changes-big-ripples idea, I liked that this part of time-bending-warping stuff (whatever you call it) was brought up.

There are quite a few subplots in this book - most of which would be spoilers to talk about - and I did find myself wishing the book had dealt with them better in the end. While some were things that really didn't need to be resolved, the ending seemed to come too suddenly and there were loose ends that I wish had been tied up a bit neater.

But The Future of Us isn't about it's subplots, or it's ending, or even Emma and Josh, really. It's about seeing your future and figuring out what to do if you don't like it - or if you do - and it's about remembering the now even as you're focused on what comes next. This is a quick, immensely fun read, and though it feels lighthearted, it will leave you thinking.


The Future of Us comes out Nov. 21st.