In My Mailbox - Wonderful Finds

BOOKS.

Gift: One of the women I work with at the used bookstore I volunteer at was telling me what a great author Ann Patchett is. She said that Bel Canto is the best of her books and told me I just had had had to read it... and then she found it in the store and bought it for me! So sweet! She said that this way if I don't like it, I won't have lost anything. 

From Publishers: Getting this in the mail was a total surprise; it's a book I hadn't heard of before it showed up. It's set in a small town and sounds like something I might really enjoy, so... fingers crossed.

Bought: I am so excited about these books!! One of them sounds hilarious, another is by Jodi Picoult (and I tend to really, really enjoy her books), and the third is just... ohmygoodness, and the fourth is by an author I've been curious about for quite a while. Odd Girl Out in particular sounds like exactly my cup of tea and it's a book I've been wanting to read for quite a while but didn't find until recently. I'm so thrilled about this particular book that it's really overshadowing what would usually be much enthusiasm for Mercy and the other books on this list.

The Love.

I once read a post by Meg Cabot where she said that there are two types of readers: those who read to escape and those who read to relate. Now, I don't know if she's the first person to say this or if it came from somewhere else (this post was years ago), but it really struck a chord with me. Because I am definitely in the second camp; I've always always always read to relate. To understand others, understand myself, see my own feelings and actions reflected in stories that have nothing to do with me. This is a big part of the reason I'm so drawn to contemporary stories -- I like seeing myself in the books I read.

Recently I reread a favorite of mine, Sara Zarr's novel, Sweethearts. I've heard it referred to as a romance but, to my mind at least, it's definitely not that. But it is a love story. It's about the people who are so much a part of you it's impossible to separate yourself from them, the people you love more than anyone and for reasons that aren't entirely clear. It's about unbreakable, often unexplainable, bonds. And I adore this book not only because of how brilliantly it's written, but also because that feeling of love and connection is something I can relate to, something I know so well.

And Sweethearts captured it perfectly, explaining it so much better than I was ever able to.

There are other books, as well, that sit beside my heart and feel so incredibly personal. Almost as if they'd been written with me in mind. And that's the crazy thing about writing, about books and the authors behind them. It continues to amaze me, in spite of how much I read and how much I know about writing and authors and publishing and books, that these stories can hold so much power. The power to help a person realize something about themselves or someone they love or the life they lead. It amazes me how great and powerful and personal a novel can become to a reader. And to the authors who write these books, all of my favorites, all of the ones that have spoken to me, a million thank yous. Unfortunately, it would take so much space to list you all.

Review - Girl Wonder

GIRL WONDER
Alexa Martin
Hyperion Books

This review includes mild spoilers for Girl Wonder.

Thanks to her dyscalculia, senior Charlotte Locke's new school won't let her into the GATE (gifted & talented) program which means that not only are her non-math classes painfully boring, but her chances at getting into the type of prestigious university her father expects are less than none. With her family falling apart thanks to her dad's new writing career and a new school that she hates, Charlotte falls into the orbit of Amanda, otherwise known as the Girl Wonder. Amanda, with her pink hair and brilliant GATE status, is legendary around school and exactly the sort of person that Charlotte -- insecure and overshadowed by her brilliantly successful family -- wants to be around.

To be perfectly blunt, Charlotte was not the most interesting or likable protagonist. She's sympathetic mostly because of her father having impossible expectations for her, but aside from that it's obvious that her mother and younger brother are supportive of her and care about her. She's smart, but tends to think of herself as a victim -- of her family, of her school's GATE requirements, and of life in general. After rejecting the first (nice, normal) girl who tried to befriend her, Charlotte sets her sights on Amanda and the super-cute debate club boy, Neal. Both are GATE students and extremely popular, which is what Charlotte wants. And this is where the story becomes completely not what I expected, veers in a direction that seemed off-putting considering the incredibly safe feeling of the first half of the book. As Charlotte gets deeper in with Amanda and Neal, she seems to forget who she is and agree to anything they suggest -- ditching school, lying, stealing, drugs, and sex that leaves her completely confused about the nature of her relationship with Neal. While the beginning of the story is unrealistically safe and un-teenaged when it comes to the characters' dialogue and actions. Charlotte throws around words like "twitter-pated" in the beginning and by the middle her character seems to have been replaced as she becomes more and more like the girl her new friends expect her to be. If this means doing things she never before considered -- well, so be it. It was difficult for me to cheer on a character like this, one who constantly feels sorry for herself and is so easily persuaded by others. As a reader, the reality of Charlotte's friends and their feelings toward her is incredibly obvious and this makes it all the more frustrating that Charlotte -- despite being supposedly smart -- is so oblivious to the realities around her.

That said, while Charlotte's personality was easily swayed by those she was around, the family aspect of the story was brilliant though I wish it had been more in the forefront instead of a background story. Charlotte's genius little brother and professor mother are supportive and kind, but because her newly-published father who's been called "the literary heir to Franzen," has such unreasonable expectations of her, she feels inferior and looked-down-upon by her entire family. Though there were parts of the story that were predictable (Charlotte's romantic storyline, for instance), the ending here -- one involving Charlotte's family and the cute-but-dorky boy next door -- all but saves the book. Charlotte's personality may be easily swayed throughout most of the novel, but by the end it's clear that she's made some serious headway in realizing who she really is and is a stronger person because of it. This book mixes the grit of Amy Reed's Beautiful and the family-and-outsider elements of Lorraine Zago Rosenthal's Other Words for Love; I'd recommend it for fans of either novel.

2011 Wishes Update!

Remember the start of the year when I wrote that wishlist of things I so desperately wanted to see in my favorite genre? It looks like the universe of YA was listening to me because many of the books I've read lately have been spot on.


More contemporary stand-alone novels.
Yes, there are a lot of series coming out and there's been at least a couple long-awaited YA sequels recently, but I'm also finding quite a few contemporary stand-alones, and many of these books I really love. Flirt Club, Rival, Leverage, I'll Be There, Stay.


More family.
Authors, agents, editors, THANK YOU. Though not all of these books are being talked about as a book about family, the following all have some very strong family elements: Like Mandarin, Rival, Sean Griswold's Head, Bitter Melon, The Lucky Kind, Invincible Summer, Stay, I'll Be There, and Other Words for Love. In my list I specifically mentioned a want for YA novels that explore the father-daughter dynamic and though I still want more, a couple novels have touched on the topic (both Rival and Sean Griswold's Head) while Stay took on this relationship more fully and with, in my opinion, great results. THANK YOU.

Unexpected and well-handled stereotype subversions.
You know, I haven't seen a lot of this lately. Stay subverts the popular insta-love trope by showing how things in this sort of relationship could very easily go wrong, but for character stereotypes there's not much. There is, however, Kurt, from Leverage, whose vicious and intimidating look masks an unbelievably kind, protective, and good-hearted person.

Actual and realistic Problems.
I'm not sure I can even list all the books that fit this item. So many of them do and I absolutely love it. It's great reading a book with a character who's dealing with a learning disability, or one whose problems come from an extremely unstable family, or one who deals with her father's chronic illness in an unexpected way. I love these things. I love books that tackle problems that are both real and rarely-before-handled.

Books with tweets!
Truth & Dare has a story written entirely in tweets, but aside from that I haven't read any. So if you know of a book with tweets, please let me know.

A historical fiction set on the Oregon Trail.
*waits patiently*

Science Fiction YA.
Ah, yes! Publishing listened to me! Or something. Sci-fi YA books are starting to be published somewhat regularly, it seems, and though I haven't found one that completely blew me away yet, I have a feeling that'll happen. (Glow, which doesn't come out until September, came the closest.)

Non-college options explored in contemporary YA.
Oh, this is sadly lacking, at least in the books I've been reading. If you have any good recommendations for me here, let me know!

Better love stories.
Of course, by "better" I just mean love stories that I like better, which is insanely subjective. This said, both I'll Be There and Wither (though the love story isn't the central plot) have couples or potential couples that I absolutely adore. And, of course, there's one more book but listing it as a love story might be a bit of a spoiler. SO I WON'T.

Good girls (and boys).
Back When You Were Easier to Love takes care of this one -- I absolutely adore Owen. There's also the teens in I'll Be There that are dealing with some crazy-heavy stuff, but are definitely kind and good at heart and you guys, you should all read this book.

Me.
Oh. Um. Well. No.

Wishes aside, I'm so incredibly thrilled with the YA that's been coming out lately. It's well-written and amazing and has great characters and I'm loving it so much. I don't read that much in other genres and I'm totally biased of course, but I'm pretty sure YA has the best authors.

Review - Truth & Dare

TRUTH & DARE
Edited by Liz Miles
Running Press Kids

Truth & Dare is a collection of short stories about those teens who, as the synopsis says, "dare to be different." Though the stories are contemporary/realistic in nature, many of them are written by authors better known in other genres (such as Sarah Rees Brennan, author of the Demon's Lexicon series). Included in the collection of 20 short stories are authors you've probably heard of before, both older and newer voices. Heidi R. Kling, Gary Soto, and Cecil Castellucci as well as a host of writers I hadn't heard or read anything by.

As with any anthology there were some pieces here that I really adored and others that I could have done without. I was thrown off more than once by stories that seemed to end abruptly without a resolution.

The stories in this collection cover topics from love and sex to family and high school. It would have been nice if the stories were organized according to topic just because it was a little disconcerting to go into a story with no idea what it was about. There was a wide variety in length as well as subject matter and writing style, including one story told entirely in tweets. You won't like every story in the collection, but you will find some surprising gems and, most likely, be introduced to some great new or forgotten writers. Personally my favorite stories were those by Saundra Mitchell ("The Last Will and Testament of Evan Todd"), Ellen Wittlinger ("Rules for Love and Death"), and Jennifer R. Hubbard's "Confessions and Chocolate Brains."

Tuesday Ten - Books I'm So Glad You Recommended

Hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme. This week's theme is books we're so happy to have had recommended to us. So, in no particular order...

1. Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson

I never had a huge desire to read this book. The cover wasn't all that striking to me and the author was one that (until Wintergirls, at least) I was passingly familiar with but not a big fan of. When the Wesley Scroggins/censorship debacle came about suddenly everyone online was saying how much Speak meant to them and what a great and powerful and important book it was. And it turned out that one of my favorite authors, Sarah Ockler, cites it as a huge inspiration for her writing YA novels in the first place. The whole internet was telling me to read this book so, you know, I sort of had to. Thank you, Interwebs, because this book is just as great and powerful and influential as you told me it was. If I had to choose, I still love Wintergirls more, but without Speak there would be no Wintergirls and no YA genre as we know it.

2. Anna and the French Kiss

Stephanie Perkins

When I first heard about this book way back long ago on Stephanie's blog, it was sort of unnamed and vague and it sounded really good. But then it came out. AND EVERYONE LOVED IT OMG. And I don't typically love the books that everyone else does so I shied away from it, suspecting that it might be another Audrey, Wait! situation. But as much as I said I wasn't going to read it, Khy kept gushing about it and telling me I had to read it and saying how great it was and eventually I gave it. And you know what? My love for this book knows no bounds. Thank you, Khy, for making me read this one.

3. Twilight

Stephanie Meyer

I so wasn't going to read this book. I don't do fantasy/paranormal/whatever and vampires are not exactly my cup of tea. But a friend I'd grown up with assured me that it really wasn't very heavy on the paranormal and it was mostly a love story anyway and that Bella reminded her of me. (Now, I know everybody hates Bella, but in my defense (a) the friend had only read Twilight at this point, not New Moon, and (b) there are some similarities.) So, a thank you to Ashley; if she hadn't said that Bella reminded her of me I never would have picked this up. And as much as everyone hates on this series and as horrible and unhealthy as I believe Bella and Edward's relationship to be, I really do love the books (the first three, at least).

4. The History of Love

Nicole Krauss

Back when I actually used my tumblr account, there was a tumblog I followed that was completely in love with this book, singing its praises at every turn. This wasn't a tumblr dedicated to books, so of course I was intrigued. The quotes she posted from the book were absolutely breathtaking, so much so that I bought the book the first time I saw it and later found a second copy for my grandma. This book, it is so beautiful, so lovely. Thank you, tumblr.

5. Break

Hannah Moskowitz

As with a few other books on this list, I originally had absolutely no interest in this book. I used to frequent AW so I knew of its existence quite a while before it was actually published, but the idea of a book about a boy on a mission to break all his bones... well, it did not sound like my type of book. But then Cindy Pon asked if I'd read it. When I told her I hadn't, she said that it was beautiful and amazing and that she thought I would love it. This was surprising because, as I said, the idea of it didn't appeal to me at all. However, I did read it (thank you, Cindy!) and she was right. She was so right. Though the premise of this book is outrageous and dark and scary the book itself is about family and love and strength and it is so, so good.

6. If I Stay

Gayle Forman

There are few bloggers (possibly none) whose recommendations I trust as much as Adele's. So when she first talked up this book I knew that -- even though I hadn't even heard of it before -- I had to read it. And I'm so glad I did because it's every bit as amazing as she said it was and it's one of those rare books I honestly can't believe more people haven't read. It's just that bloody brilliant.

7. Wintergirls

Laurie Halse Anderson

Yep, another LHA book. And apologies for the fact that I don't remember who told me I had had had to read this one, but I know it was somebody. Because although I'd read a few of LHA's books before, I'd yet to find one that blew me away and didn't feel a huge urge to read Wintergirls when it came out. But somebody -- and I wish I could remember who -- told me I absolutely had to read it and it was the book I was waiting for: the one that blew me away.

8. Sea

Heidi R. Kling

The fact that I read this book at all is due entirely to two things. First of all Khy for assuring me that it was not about mermaids (I somehow had that in my brain), and second of all the brilliant #sealove Twitter campaign. Before, I was mildly curious about this debut. After, I was super-jazzed about it and proceeded to spend an entire lazy afternoon reading, unable to put the book down. 

9. Fate is the Hunter

Ernest K. Gann

I feel like a cheat putting this book on the list because (surprise!) I haven't actually finished reading it yet. It's the type of book I really have to devote some brain time to and with so many other books waiting (including ones that need to be reviewed) and school demanding my thinking-times, it's been pushed aside. That said, it's a brilliant brilliant book and so well written and I can't wait to get back into it. My dad had been pushing this book on me for years (literally) before he finally found a copy of it. So, thank you Dad.

I actually don't have a tenth book, so I challenge YOU to recommend something I'll absolutely love.

10 Lies Television Tells

Ever since the days of Full House (possibly even earlier!), television shows have been lying to me. AND TO YOU, ALSO! Real life is difficult for television. It's messy, complicated, and often boring. Television does not like these things. It likes drama! and funny! and increasingly ridiculous situations!

And it lies. For example,

1. When your fiance leaves you at the alter, don't worry! Because you'll totally be over it in a week or less. And, bonus! You'll probably be totally fine hanging out with your ex all the time, because obviously that won't be painful or anything. I most recently saw this on Happy Endings, but I'm sure it's been played out in other shows. For instance: Friends, How I Met Your Mother. Somehow I don't think this is how it typically works in real life.
2. If you have a good job, you can easily afford to have a big family, live in a nice neighborhood, and pay for all of your children to go to top-notch colleges and grad schools. Ahem, The Cosby Show. I realize that these people were doctors and lawyers, but... seriously? In real life, there's no way that actually works.
3. You can have a great social life, hobbies, and great grades that will get you into an Ivy League school. Also, you'll totally get plenty of sleep, I promise. Once again, The Cosby Show. Also Gilmore Girls, though Rory's route to Yale was, I think, at least relatively realistic. And didn't DJ from Full House end up going to Stanford? I really don't know how these fictional people did it, but I'm thinking the fact that they're fictional might have had something to do with it.
4. Everyone has a close and unbreakable group of friends. The culprits here are almost too many to list. Friends, Cougar Town, Happy Endings, Cheers, How I Met Your Mother, Community, The Big Bang Theory -- basically every sitcom based around people who have friends. And as great as this would be if it were true (maybe for you it is?), nobody I know has that type of super-close, unwavering group of friends.
5. All extended families live within driving distance of each other -- usually even closer! The same town! And they are all super-close and involved in each others lives. Parenthood, Gilmore Girls, Arrested Development, Modern Family. Okay, this one I know for plenty of people is actually true (and actually for most of my life I lived incredibly close to part of my extended family as well), but the way these shows portray it is often strangely, um... functional? And happy? And stable? It's kind of like the Kodak-moment version of family, even for the crazy ones. Everyone's always hanging out together, in the same room, doing these family reunion type things.
6. If you're a doctor or a lawyer, your work is always fascinating and glamorous and you have a super-dramatic personal life. House, Ally McBeal, Grey's Anatomy, too many more shows to name. And I'm definitely not a doctor or lawyer, but I've been in hospitals and those are definitely definitely not glamorous places. I mean, they're stark white and smell like disinfectant. People are always trying not to die. Somehow I suspect that television greatly exaggerates the glitz of these careers and totally plays down all the mundanities like paperwork.
7. You/your band will be discovered and become super rich and famous while still in high school. Hannah Montana, The Lizzie McGuire Movie (this counts, as it's based on television), Sonny With A Chance, Big Time Rush. So... basically all the Disney/Nick shows have some element of FAME, whether it be musical or otherwise. And this is all nice and good, but generally being a success takes not only talent, but also a ton of work and a dollop of right-place-right-time. It's not all rainbows and puppies; working so hard and being so young means missing out on a lot of normal-people stuff and it's annoying that these shows don't notice that.
8. Even though your job is minimum-wage (or nonexistent), you can still easily dress fashionably and go out all the time with your friends. Friends, most notably. But also Gilmore Girls and pretty much every Disney Channel show out there. Probably tons of shows I can't think of as well. I realize this is mostly a plot device because there's absolutely no story with someone who never goes out because s/he can't afford it, but still. It can get annoying.
9. If you happen to land on a deserted island, there will be plenty to read. Lost, Gilligan's Island. Okay, seriously, I know everyone has their little list of books they'd bring if they were trapped on a desert island, but really? I don't understand how Sawyer and The Professor always seemed to have something to read. Did they just read the same two books over and over? Was there actually a library on board the ship and somehow all the books survived sans water damage? I'm so confused and as a bibliophile I must know the answer in case this ever happens to me. 
10. Publishing is super glamorous and you'll definitely be totally famous. 30 Rock, Castle. Alright, this one primarily shows up in movies (The Proposal, My Future Boyfriend), but it applies here, too. According to these TV shows, there'll be a cardboard cut-out of you in bookstore windows when you publish a book and people will recognize you and possibly stalk you or sue you and etc. etc. etc. IT'S ALL VERY FANCY. Honestly though, I'm not sure I'd recognize my very favorite authors if I passed them on the street, and these are people whose blogs and tweets I follow. (Also, thank you to Laina for this suggestion.)

So, what other lies does television tell us? And do you agree/disagree with my list?