Trilogy Blues

Every so often around the inter-world, I hear "I'm all trilogied out" or "I have trilogy fatigue."  This is interesting to me because I quite like epic stories with characters that make you want to follow them through Introductions, Make-Outs, and War.  Adventure in three parts, huzzah!  You don't have to work hard to sell that to me.

However, I get what people are on about.  I prefer companion books, like Kristin Cashore has done with her Graceling series.  Being in her world at different times with new voices keeps everything fresh.  A continual discovery, unveiling those hidden hinter-worlds, those shaded parts of the map.  (Don't even get me started on maps...you can have your hot guys, I'll drool over the maps).

You have to read some stand-alones to get some perspective on the beauty of a trilogy.  On why a trilogy is a natural thing--a number that makes sense to me.  Beginning, Middle, End.  Each individual book has these parts, but how meta to spread this over a series as well.  How divine.

So why have I titled this post Trilogy Blues?  Because lately I've been finishing up trilogies.  Stories that I've loved that have been a part of my life for quite a while.  I'm not fatigued, but the finishing is making me all sad and stuff.

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS trilogy I read in little bits before bed to stretch it out as far as it could go.  I just wanted to hang out there for as long as possible.  I re-read each book, hoping to catch something new.  Another patch of shaded territory on the map in my mind.  After finishing THE BITTER KINGDOM, I felt so verklempt.  Like, this couldn't be all there is.  Don't get me wrong, it's a "smashing, satisfying end" to a series.  It's so, so good.  But it's over.  Like done.  I may even have to write a story in answer to this one, simply because it spoke to me so.  And I'm still holding on.

Likewise, at the moment I'm reading QUINTANA OF CHARYN and I keep talking out loud to the characters:  "Stop fighting!"  "You love each other."  Inside, I'm thinking:  "I only have so much time with you." "Don't travel so fast!"  I'm sort of worried I'm turning in to my mother.  She doesn't like to let go.  And I guess neither do I.  And, indeed, the characters aren't letting go of each other.  This end to the series is, so far, perfection (if painful).

What's to be done?


Trilogies!  You are bittersweet.  You make me love you, and then you leave.  xx

Twitter Tuesday (Fan Art edition)

Breaking the rules of YA (with CODE NAME VERITY)

If someone were to create a list of "Must"s for YA novels, it might look something like this:

1. Must be fast-paced.
2. Must feature a hot guy.
3. Must include romance (preferably with aforementioned hot guy).
4. Must not include stodgy words like "aforementioned."
5. Must take place in a cool city (like New York, Paris, Chicago) OR in a remote and unusual town (like Forks).
6. Must not make allusions to obscure historical facts.
7. Must not make allusions to obscure literary works.
8. Must be written by John Green.
9. Must be turned into a movie starring Shailene Woodley and Alex Pettyfer.

Well, you get the idea.

Anyway. There are a lot of great YA books that follow the rules, but today I want to talk about a great YA book that doesn't follow any of them.

CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein

Because CNV doesn't follow the rules, readers tend to either love it or hate it. Personally I LOVED it. One thing that helped: I had been warned that it is a "slow burn" kind of story, so I waited until my reservoir of patience was at its very fullest before I started reading. That patience was deeply rewarded.

All I will say about CNV's plot is that it revolves around two young women (a spy and a pilot) who are part of the British military efforts against Nazi Germany in World War II. To tell much more would risk spoilers -- but there isn't some major mystery or twist that I could ruin. It's just that reading CNV is like putting together a puzzle that you lost the box for: You still have all the pieces, and you know the general theme of the puzzle, but the picture won't become fully clear until it's all assembled.

So, back to rule-breaking. CNV is not fast, does not have any hot guys or romance, includes ton of stodgy words and obscure references, isn't written by John Green, and I hope like hell if there's a movie, it won't star Alex Pettyfer. (He would make a very odd Kittyhawk.)

But what CNV does do, it does amazingly.

1. Strong female characters. Not strong like "I bench press 100 lbs" or "I'm queen of the dragons," but strong like fully developed, richly written, truly interesting, and complexly nuanced characters -- who just happen to be female. Verity is now one of my favorite characters OF ALL TIME. And Kittyhawk's pretty great too.

1b. Female friendship. We need more of this, everywhere. In YA, on television, in real life.

2. Layers. Sort of like Sixth Sense (but without ghosts, I promise!) CNV tells a story that looks a certain way from one angle, and then looks very different from another angle. Both stories are true, and both stories are compelling, and when you put them together, it just might blow your mind. Or break your heart. See #3.

3. The bridge scene. Enough said.

Believe it or not, I could keep on extolling the virtues of this book for quite a while, but I'll spare you any further lists.

Tell me, have you read CODE NAME VERITY? Were you in the "love it" or "hate it" camp? What other books have you read that broke the YA rules? For that matter, what other YA rules did I forget?

KH

Twitter Tuesday

The Fearless Leader

While I was growing up, I was lucky enough to have several adults in my life that were really inspiring. From my third grade teacher, Mrs. Johnstone, who taught me a love for storytelling, to my ninth grade English teacher, Mr. Nicholson, who was the first person to tell me I was good at writing. These people were a big part of what shaped who I’ve become.

I’ve always loved films like Dead Poets Society, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and Freedom Writers that show how an adult who cares can leave a lasting mark on a kid’s life. I think those people really do exist. They’re not perfect, never as eloquent as in movies, and we don’t always appreciate their influence as it’s happening. But most of us have had at least one of those people in our lives.

I see these leaders a lot in Science Fiction and Fantasy — Dumbledore, Gandalf, etc. — but rarely is Contemporary YA. I heard a literary agent (who will not named… partly because I can’t remember who it was) define YA as always having the adults in the background. I don’t think this is true at all. One of the biggest parts of being a teenager is how you interact with the adults in your life.

I would love to read a Contemporary YA novel about the relationship between a kid and a parent, or a student and a teacher. There are a few out there, but it’s usually a subplot, never central to the storyline. Someone write one pretty please!

Twitter Tuesday

Rock the Drop

**Our giveaway winner from last week's Indie Bookstores post is Cassie@Knows Prose!!!  Please send us an email at weheartya(at)gmail(dot)com.  Hope you like DON'T BREATHE A WORD as much as we did!**

So excited to participate, once again, in Readergirlz' annual shindig--Rock the Drop.  All the details are over at their site.  Basically you print off a bookplate, attach to a book you're willing to donate, Drop It someplace that people (teens) will stumble upon it, take a pic, tweet #rockthedrop and hope someone comes along to pick up a great--and free--read!

Since we're in Cincinnati, we will be leaving books around our hometown.  If you're local, pay attention to our twitter feed tomorrow and see if you can figure out the places we've dropped them.  Which books, do you ask?

A signed ARC of ONE by Leigh Ann Kopans.  This book is getting a lot of buzz (people we know LOVE it), and is being released in two short months.  But you could be part of #TeamONE simply by snagging this copy.  It has one of our favorite signature messages...ever...but you'll have to find the copy to see it.  We very nearly Rocked the Drop to our bookshelf with this one.  :)

A signed hardcover of DEFIANCE by CJ Redwine.  This book is a page-turner, filled with action and a unique mash-up of science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocolyptic elements.  The girls over at Epic Reads recommend this book nearly every week.  Get it before the sequel comes out this August!

A hardcover of WICKED GIRLS by Stephanie Hemphill.  This novel in verse relives the Salem witch trials through the eyes of the girls being accused.  Publisher's Weekly gave it a star and said, “The expressive writing, masterful tension, and parallels to modern group dynamics create a powerful and relevant page-turner. ”

An ARC of CRASH AND BURN by Michael Hassan.  The Goodreads blurb says: "Michael Hassan's shattering novel is a tale of first love and first hate, the story of two high school seniors and the morning that changed their lives forever. It's a portrait of the modern American teenage male, in all his brash, disillusioned, oversexed, schizophrenic, drunk, nihilistic, hopeful, ADHD-diagnosed glory. And it's a powerful meditation on how normal it is to be screwed up, and how screwed up it is to be normal."  Compelling and relevant stuff.

Are you participating this year?  We'd love to hear which books you've placed and what hometown.  Happy Dropping (and hope you snag some good, free books out in the wild).  xx