tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75707824551853947212024-02-20T00:59:39.219-05:00We Heart YAFour friends who read, write, discuss, and celebrate Young Adult literature. Join us!
Members: Kristan Hoffman, Sarah Wedgbrow, Ingrid Palmer, and Stephanie Mooney.We Heart YAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02418854853031344928noreply@blogger.comBlogger413125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-45256101243974689382022-02-07T17:29:00.004-05:002022-02-07T17:29:54.994-05:00Our Favorite Reads of 2021<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
<div><br /></div><div>One of our favorite things to do every year is to share a round-up of the books that we loved most. Due to the pandemic, we accidentally skipped 2020, but now we're back! Here are the stories -- mostly YA, but some adult and Middle Grade too -- that captured our hearts and minds in 2021:</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sarah</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVojSm47H6c-lF-z5ZRJ351CB-3GhJEd1tYuOWx1qzRIPHQVFEMUGn3FThdfe-6_G-KzYzKTshqsQOHPJXyAdVRDVRjcbNNNPtfbD7OuNWpV8xF_aJE1WkuakS7cJNKu98xbhoImSAuj15zAjlDeaCTHv0BjLDt3HXN6WwPYCQ3fws-myYCSSVRzMpGA=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVojSm47H6c-lF-z5ZRJ351CB-3GhJEd1tYuOWx1qzRIPHQVFEMUGn3FThdfe-6_G-KzYzKTshqsQOHPJXyAdVRDVRjcbNNNPtfbD7OuNWpV8xF_aJE1WkuakS7cJNKu98xbhoImSAuj15zAjlDeaCTHv0BjLDt3HXN6WwPYCQ3fws-myYCSSVRzMpGA=w129-h200" width="129" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY9LJ1lGR_nQyapvfVQ8N2ZUCzAYr6FTdf9g3cQRh3yabzVtGlgbQUtOvHeBjNyLaez3N4u6toRSJeY5bG_d5fWUXJ-I0JLz1cTdEWzSqbmFJLBqR3JHBlA7Uq4maDRLJK4JX6LDOUs2DBOjORW2TRbnsZAKtaxCrlHPGcIZpTnRXQrWUDJMXCo_Xi5g=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY9LJ1lGR_nQyapvfVQ8N2ZUCzAYr6FTdf9g3cQRh3yabzVtGlgbQUtOvHeBjNyLaez3N4u6toRSJeY5bG_d5fWUXJ-I0JLz1cTdEWzSqbmFJLBqR3JHBlA7Uq4maDRLJK4JX6LDOUs2DBOjORW2TRbnsZAKtaxCrlHPGcIZpTnRXQrWUDJMXCo_Xi5g=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTn_KSESQNC7wLczqD87Cg5A-g8bwiVW-CkYpcqORgY-2vF2wQAD2Lu-YXT3Uaw8gxEJqFkRs-aPhzSPm_g7L_vgp7Ax4Inj_tQbDD5Kq0PsRTMO1RKvMh3Yxi32Lt8l1XKZeiFnW-a7YqiUSSGMoaBFCOZqStAIuj4xPPXl3Wwxc1TzwFSqwRry_uuQ=s2560" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1670" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTn_KSESQNC7wLczqD87Cg5A-g8bwiVW-CkYpcqORgY-2vF2wQAD2Lu-YXT3Uaw8gxEJqFkRs-aPhzSPm_g7L_vgp7Ax4Inj_tQbDD5Kq0PsRTMO1RKvMh3Yxi32Lt8l1XKZeiFnW-a7YqiUSSGMoaBFCOZqStAIuj4xPPXl3Wwxc1TzwFSqwRry_uuQ=w131-h200" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsFF-y4tK_YJ-_oV3iIVE3cTADaUV0MJ5ghvgcEuQLvuJQhpn2uWOO_39toaK0h69JWNe27mdU6ouL2Az0095mCpuXvUZZwaqItaF6ZFr7VH6bPWka9pOqkq7lm7UNuJoz4yfpBmypeyEgfOPmW7I_WbvXkOsNu0d07zIETHdqShQV9feBzW-MjGR9Qw=s1496" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsFF-y4tK_YJ-_oV3iIVE3cTADaUV0MJ5ghvgcEuQLvuJQhpn2uWOO_39toaK0h69JWNe27mdU6ouL2Az0095mCpuXvUZZwaqItaF6ZFr7VH6bPWka9pOqkq7lm7UNuJoz4yfpBmypeyEgfOPmW7I_WbvXkOsNu0d07zIETHdqShQV9feBzW-MjGR9Qw=w134-h200" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidwPBR5NbxdheP4DmAON1gh6ot3DiiwW85niiJ15NBrWytrPpZySzkE9i1Q9cFWx5JL0q8E1rMHImcloq59U-ITAZnZzDFb0FmkOK-inexjzdqxGPNWmxEbCPpDCJV1zMk8qs_JxIVXUAowButPbdWjPH5Sr8M4WYaLXHQcLJkh8TWGtkUaUUhwxmRUA=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidwPBR5NbxdheP4DmAON1gh6ot3DiiwW85niiJ15NBrWytrPpZySzkE9i1Q9cFWx5JL0q8E1rMHImcloq59U-ITAZnZzDFb0FmkOK-inexjzdqxGPNWmxEbCPpDCJV1zMk8qs_JxIVXUAowButPbdWjPH5Sr8M4WYaLXHQcLJkh8TWGtkUaUUhwxmRUA=w131-h200" width="131" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div></b></div><div><div>Fave: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43521657-the-ten-thousand-doors-of-january" target="_blank">THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E Harrow</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Honourable Mentions: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43207851-curses" target="_blank">CURSES by Lish McBride</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56980403-vespertine" target="_blank">VESPERTINE by Margaret Rogerson</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56969452-fresh" target="_blank">FRESH by Margot Wood</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51828348-hold-back-the-tide" target="_blank">HOLD BACK THE TIDE by Melinda Salisbury</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Stephanie</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguTSe6u5OIhCLbyY5kVaDcqx0rKz57zOCUAwDHIcl6zthcttH8EruD7DYekKIFFwXdDkl0ZdjfGHQGGQ1lNj4myn1p55rJrtpulEISK1n9Urguq1R8W6h5IFx4Kx5mcl3PtOsx5Xz5QGwrgwIfEvMrRLJNTSm1YWtPSvSWq661eKxobinlz8XLJrIF2A=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguTSe6u5OIhCLbyY5kVaDcqx0rKz57zOCUAwDHIcl6zthcttH8EruD7DYekKIFFwXdDkl0ZdjfGHQGGQ1lNj4myn1p55rJrtpulEISK1n9Urguq1R8W6h5IFx4Kx5mcl3PtOsx5Xz5QGwrgwIfEvMrRLJNTSm1YWtPSvSWq661eKxobinlz8XLJrIF2A=w131-h200" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG9FMTJI0a2sKwCtng2gQrvXKWPAWCYm8EBYHN4conKrfLn95Gbtyhoqps9Blkaq9sSaVNTLB-lU7lIzW_Bt5u-bjr6U72S-weAgBtczaDUazBfs9YElB8jAJm-573LBLpgNmHf7usykouSXN6Lw1X0Vxj_hnFqh361N5NoFGJ-g4G1nWNV2zoYN1SHg=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG9FMTJI0a2sKwCtng2gQrvXKWPAWCYm8EBYHN4conKrfLn95Gbtyhoqps9Blkaq9sSaVNTLB-lU7lIzW_Bt5u-bjr6U72S-weAgBtczaDUazBfs9YElB8jAJm-573LBLpgNmHf7usykouSXN6Lw1X0Vxj_hnFqh361N5NoFGJ-g4G1nWNV2zoYN1SHg=w134-h200" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7AkgSv7ZJ5DvlrbqpE_1VHxaB-uDIqyBQ1XLJJk89NTMEIcSvAiGOueKcRvjj8kZLmLHB-U2bpyk_WnSKIitCG31D6tkB1mbP2fAsKggiIZBp9FD_cv2YYUhjrizh78_E36-7OSly-oxQoerafKKyGLKfw5apqgAZpMdxTjlxR0obvWeiuen-ZiEGEQ=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7AkgSv7ZJ5DvlrbqpE_1VHxaB-uDIqyBQ1XLJJk89NTMEIcSvAiGOueKcRvjj8kZLmLHB-U2bpyk_WnSKIitCG31D6tkB1mbP2fAsKggiIZBp9FD_cv2YYUhjrizh78_E36-7OSly-oxQoerafKKyGLKfw5apqgAZpMdxTjlxR0obvWeiuen-ZiEGEQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56614597-gilded" target="_blank">Gilded by Marissa Meyer</a></i> -- This book was perfection. I loved the rich world building and lyrical writing. The villain was haunting and legitimately scary, and the love interest is my favorite I've read in years.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36524503-the-bone-houses" target="_blank">The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyde Jones</a></i> -- Beautiful Welsh-inspired mythology and a zombie goat that made my heart happy.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50999821-a-lesson-in-vengeance" target="_blank">A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee</a></i> -- Dark and twisty and witchy. Mystery that made me gasp out loud at one point.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Ingrid</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizC-kujZasKsPbr0jS7XSrmjzFMb2HCrMMm3R7Pi4ZjYAMkCde9rGnw2IX9h4GTbmOvJlfHxkKrYgbvWaU8OB2lMLKyFkykbiQkQcdbEar2L06qpj3nuvtjjdlCm2Zsd1QRZGyXMRHTDRUz3S0KX9gbrVHICIPKHxPRgWSDBtDMCTsV4LZkoeXZgxaeA=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizC-kujZasKsPbr0jS7XSrmjzFMb2HCrMMm3R7Pi4ZjYAMkCde9rGnw2IX9h4GTbmOvJlfHxkKrYgbvWaU8OB2lMLKyFkykbiQkQcdbEar2L06qpj3nuvtjjdlCm2Zsd1QRZGyXMRHTDRUz3S0KX9gbrVHICIPKHxPRgWSDBtDMCTsV4LZkoeXZgxaeA=w134-h200" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_XOuQ2nINxknW1hnhIGSZ2VcDy1qlBrLrOy_LYH0OFgkNFhE_4wOpleRG_M0NTPpSQ9udgfZuQVr2RymjTO2Q6MNvh7RZDRHW9QwE0Ez_UqEkiHDh1RsZhk_funZCAreqOC_0MgSiDHxNuTNmBWTzQV7404TgeHlphrHVWmGGX-YoIwvyqO1-5kQshA=s2850" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="1875" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_XOuQ2nINxknW1hnhIGSZ2VcDy1qlBrLrOy_LYH0OFgkNFhE_4wOpleRG_M0NTPpSQ9udgfZuQVr2RymjTO2Q6MNvh7RZDRHW9QwE0Ez_UqEkiHDh1RsZhk_funZCAreqOC_0MgSiDHxNuTNmBWTzQV7404TgeHlphrHVWmGGX-YoIwvyqO1-5kQshA=w132-h200" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt1A_jdEwUTewpa0fP2AoeJjzU9BY7-MXQvy40y0bjV7tboKJQ3W3rR9oVlBh4bt66dYmeSv9eO4ekj4nypFr2H3e2HWp4siRCZ2WyByVM9n4ByuI0Zq5fjVtMu2rfbBoNq-yF-RrbYmxY-R6DI7ComsS9zib7ts05nwRhRomafjF8-bweWEDEQOprzw=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt1A_jdEwUTewpa0fP2AoeJjzU9BY7-MXQvy40y0bjV7tboKJQ3W3rR9oVlBh4bt66dYmeSv9eO4ekj4nypFr2H3e2HWp4siRCZ2WyByVM9n4ByuI0Zq5fjVtMu2rfbBoNq-yF-RrbYmxY-R6DI7ComsS9zib7ts05nwRhRomafjF8-bweWEDEQOprzw=w130-h200" width="130" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJd0256L18HXc7o7gIlqnglYk0oa3Q8KPnAOnpsXvAOwpvT-bc2zyAu53MseTWqZs5ec-w1Ht1_5FAw5aM9WXj6vg534052y33-zE_ZmlkXq0nNF2blFbqNfi_du9duX-SZKhmT7otwNQgMqKhqCYcLlVc1dR7rnigb067u1KfyAujJ8Aq9Kl-bV0szw=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJd0256L18HXc7o7gIlqnglYk0oa3Q8KPnAOnpsXvAOwpvT-bc2zyAu53MseTWqZs5ec-w1Ht1_5FAw5aM9WXj6vg534052y33-zE_ZmlkXq0nNF2blFbqNfi_du9duX-SZKhmT7otwNQgMqKhqCYcLlVc1dR7rnigb067u1KfyAujJ8Aq9Kl-bV0szw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd3P6YLtrJchKN7S1D0HrUUPzUkVD2ahQZIJcuBd46HzHDLMEFA2UTgiLW7hGP01cjTFndk4KtQfKVu_jYkzDnV71wruwLSWos5f2FHGTfK0nV3m6xHXAC6Nwk_JRrA1qELzowHV4aeUk6vQVxd0HekhnZNdJaSWJFIqRTQcDliV0KOzVYwsag-u3nYA=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd3P6YLtrJchKN7S1D0HrUUPzUkVD2ahQZIJcuBd46HzHDLMEFA2UTgiLW7hGP01cjTFndk4KtQfKVu_jYkzDnV71wruwLSWos5f2FHGTfK0nV3m6xHXAC6Nwk_JRrA1qELzowHV4aeUk6vQVxd0HekhnZNdJaSWJFIqRTQcDliV0KOzVYwsag-u3nYA=w129-h200" width="129" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCKSVL-xF6KeRdsy-LuCNXwh59-u0dDcvyboqVUyzzA3loyxWEib-u0X83ibk59UzT82UH8oJzW8lUOBqLR82CaZqFryClzk6c0AtLlLI0K9fEgrA_sxOTWuwjC7sqaWooKX7Vw-4JJlcecXzAfhYH6tcpyGG9Ae1EFYZyZKVvmZb7-cjhgPWJA_Vf4w=s469" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCKSVL-xF6KeRdsy-LuCNXwh59-u0dDcvyboqVUyzzA3loyxWEib-u0X83ibk59UzT82UH8oJzW8lUOBqLR82CaZqFryClzk6c0AtLlLI0K9fEgrA_sxOTWuwjC7sqaWooKX7Vw-4JJlcecXzAfhYH6tcpyGG9Ae1EFYZyZKVvmZb7-cjhgPWJA_Vf4w=w136-h200" width="136" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45861077-by-the-book" target="_blank">By the Book by Amanda Sellet</a></i></div><div>A perfect bookish story for bookish people. The MC was quirky and endearing, I appreciated that the female friendships took up as much space as the romance, and I was giddy about the inclusion of a big, unconventional family--which can be tricky to pull off but was well executed here. Bonus if you love classic literature, but this is a lovely, light read either way.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53138081-the-four-winds" target="_blank">The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (narrated by Julia Whelan)</a></i></div><div>Historical fiction set in the dust bowl era. Intense and authentic mother-daughter relationships. A riveting story of family and survival. There was so much good stuff packed into this novel, including a visceral sense of place that completely transported me to Texas and California in the 1930s. The audio narrator was amazing and the author interview at the end was as engrossing as the book itself. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62022.The_Queen_s_Gambit" target="_blank">The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis</a></i></div><div>After watching the Netflix series two or three times, I found the novel and wanted to see how far the show had deviated from it (not too much, actually, but enough to make it worth reading and re-relishing). I absolutely adore this story and these characters, and believe this is one of those rare gems that has a truly universal appeal. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Honorable Mentions: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7348523-stay" target="_blank">Stay by Allie Larkin</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1618.The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night_Time" target="_blank">The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43562313-yolk" target="_blank">Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi</a>.</i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180;">Kristan</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJKjSf1hJHN9I6X8YRGZv1rzIrdZvjmRtkCBuOTfRXzkb0cQS51VZkQp1IJsc8e_aBvqAuJHRCxMU1binwV_EeHQownqIL4YmRg4qKggbUOMo57ySaQcM1zdj_WxNe9IfB_Br7opm2eAvW-RzC0KDmb10hS-jrOsM0JM9nGS18jHeq49c6iNm_ysTQ3A=s2114" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="1399" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJKjSf1hJHN9I6X8YRGZv1rzIrdZvjmRtkCBuOTfRXzkb0cQS51VZkQp1IJsc8e_aBvqAuJHRCxMU1binwV_EeHQownqIL4YmRg4qKggbUOMo57ySaQcM1zdj_WxNe9IfB_Br7opm2eAvW-RzC0KDmb10hS-jrOsM0JM9nGS18jHeq49c6iNm_ysTQ3A=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi81VNhsweJafVXotnCeXbf4QjAz9zNuw6usPRwobJGoWz6gS9KyOZR8wiHQzA7c2ABDRlSIgftVBcVmNlctktsJH2akXqOfuF-ce9uazcwa13okvxynDfNTiWqIk7xyuDk-asBrtKpeaduXii-ehC8iJ1UlLEguXdAx-l0xlcxRgy6GAKQutxchKCrKw=s2116" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi81VNhsweJafVXotnCeXbf4QjAz9zNuw6usPRwobJGoWz6gS9KyOZR8wiHQzA7c2ABDRlSIgftVBcVmNlctktsJH2akXqOfuF-ce9uazcwa13okvxynDfNTiWqIk7xyuDk-asBrtKpeaduXii-ehC8iJ1UlLEguXdAx-l0xlcxRgy6GAKQutxchKCrKw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnUIpW4GauK0a71Xn59oVQFRwc3_3I54_lhsbWF7Fp9NNvSTCj6sTVEeUyKd5UFMfrCXFhz8BUmpOy8TiKwOfYt2zBodcE5yXQEdk-EZ2bvdlV6qzAsKpcqGg13Yc5q_aPiGzbflbN6SjI8misA7rbnv6jKG1xqkjhNC2NeWJHsWRvjhhbJN7qUPWPSQ=s1496" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnUIpW4GauK0a71Xn59oVQFRwc3_3I54_lhsbWF7Fp9NNvSTCj6sTVEeUyKd5UFMfrCXFhz8BUmpOy8TiKwOfYt2zBodcE5yXQEdk-EZ2bvdlV6qzAsKpcqGg13Yc5q_aPiGzbflbN6SjI8misA7rbnv6jKG1xqkjhNC2NeWJHsWRvjhhbJN7qUPWPSQ=w134-h200" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV4VuEM7Ajm2f5Dv-QRPhNy77WRprn2RU-2VsVlmSnzzYZNIzHi_eFnE0E3h31w65DthoLvtoNsh7sDSeJPQGV8A7NhsyBxVj--vnaw6-U3ece4gCGXXqM32ygLw8hfjESDFVaBOj9lwThsDlO5-W0IuEr6666PTL2iy80lcoffkJa4_bi7bSwM9VZVQ=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV4VuEM7Ajm2f5Dv-QRPhNy77WRprn2RU-2VsVlmSnzzYZNIzHi_eFnE0E3h31w65DthoLvtoNsh7sDSeJPQGV8A7NhsyBxVj--vnaw6-U3ece4gCGXXqM32ygLw8hfjESDFVaBOj9lwThsDlO5-W0IuEr6666PTL2iy80lcoffkJa4_bi7bSwM9VZVQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxLy3Q1rf48nzFUEDuKCEQNUuyLlMkYCL1zROXyFfS5VL1enCDF2fNkjpjoOz9UDtFquJIlw1bnlUuzJwblXqOTstdx_DyAxkH8ua5WHclFX3BfZP4v2Ay7lAzlIVpOooN-atC4XHzfc4H9lt9_G0n0-uOdMiGyRb17RzQzSijUwDHSb0o7BUPHzK4hg=s648" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="428" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxLy3Q1rf48nzFUEDuKCEQNUuyLlMkYCL1zROXyFfS5VL1enCDF2fNkjpjoOz9UDtFquJIlw1bnlUuzJwblXqOTstdx_DyAxkH8ua5WHclFX3BfZP4v2Ay7lAzlIVpOooN-atC4XHzfc4H9lt9_G0n0-uOdMiGyRb17RzQzSijUwDHSb0o7BUPHzK4hg=w132-h200" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0oIqPpA2nvXbQW_gSTFhnyoliJmbwcYTZupfM54_AuMXAa6xq85WmTmzEfT6P7PNaqRrMuBw25qge2LWnfroLgZYmZDCIyT67d7JMsPOXN2YBraqd8K7nvtV9f2fDFPtSv2TOlrEtRLEIuer1yCzx1z9o8a8qMPCUQZhYcFKZo5OmKm9QIOYjD9n44A=s2475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0oIqPpA2nvXbQW_gSTFhnyoliJmbwcYTZupfM54_AuMXAa6xq85WmTmzEfT6P7PNaqRrMuBw25qge2LWnfroLgZYmZDCIyT67d7JMsPOXN2YBraqd8K7nvtV9f2fDFPtSv2TOlrEtRLEIuer1yCzx1z9o8a8qMPCUQZhYcFKZo5OmKm9QIOYjD9n44A=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEcqV2vNMbRJJJzJ9Pc3DN-qQ5vxkA5q9g4tT4KWCkuaKrQwrfLYw8e8TvV3ZSSU6ie5Hx8oRAyCFMdIEDqSzucu0xZu21tAawGSXZYzq2Nc_A-phoXOwFkxBO5MxptQ_HicgCqxICeoHa58nwzFIxfzYCGH8PhLYE_J6DkaFPSz5ED9gToriCGMVgTg=s470" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEcqV2vNMbRJJJzJ9Pc3DN-qQ5vxkA5q9g4tT4KWCkuaKrQwrfLYw8e8TvV3ZSSU6ie5Hx8oRAyCFMdIEDqSzucu0xZu21tAawGSXZYzq2Nc_A-phoXOwFkxBO5MxptQ_HicgCqxICeoHa58nwzFIxfzYCGH8PhLYE_J6DkaFPSz5ED9gToriCGMVgTg=w136-h200" width="136" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEZi80RcS4RQtZL-qRr19vpZtXzErRovRt9-pKy7EZphHlLk-KY8pe7glhJdaetR8ZsHLj1jl96351b1Qgy1PiMLi9NvCyiSE3WXSdS5jweD3mQe60kLwEgvGDWgAr0300jSL-ZB3y2HEaQ5b8wnh-Ggwf9eZSPodSQe01JA6d7q2CAt5cyH-TyJJb6g=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEZi80RcS4RQtZL-qRr19vpZtXzErRovRt9-pKy7EZphHlLk-KY8pe7glhJdaetR8ZsHLj1jl96351b1Qgy1PiMLi9NvCyiSE3WXSdS5jweD3mQe60kLwEgvGDWgAr0300jSL-ZB3y2HEaQ5b8wnh-Ggwf9eZSPodSQe01JA6d7q2CAt5cyH-TyJJb6g=w134-h200" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfxFtiWpIIHTSKyhxWuJy9NVx2nLkU6L9LIN3cTqgBEihYJxpP3ikXKH-F3bEDx9CckR_20MhZtv1rQvOGTYcBW7e29KrQbuqwuIaaF4rejZxu6xXqy4vV-TLNRQlNwHhnICpdVM5EK27f5JqkxAfyeVsVnc1_14X04Omlmef_pRBAZ1lPwVOJGbn4-Q=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfxFtiWpIIHTSKyhxWuJy9NVx2nLkU6L9LIN3cTqgBEihYJxpP3ikXKH-F3bEDx9CckR_20MhZtv1rQvOGTYcBW7e29KrQbuqwuIaaF4rejZxu6xXqy4vV-TLNRQlNwHhnICpdVM5EK27f5JqkxAfyeVsVnc1_14X04Omlmef_pRBAZ1lPwVOJGbn4-Q=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Honestly, due to limited time, I was very selective about what I picked up, so <i>every</i> YA book I read last year was pretty good! Thus it's very, very hard for me to pick a top 3... </div><div><br /></div><div>I probably have to give the #1 spot to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892106-when-we-were-infinite" target="_blank">WHEN WE WERE INFINITE by Kelly Loy Gilbert</a>, because it struck <i>so</i> many chords with my personal experiences in high school.</div><div><br /></div><div>After that, it's like a 6-way tie...</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56980402-the-jasmine-project" target="_blank">THE JASMINE PROJECT by Meredith Ireland</a></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56969452-fresh" target="_blank">FRESH by Margot Wood</a></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52696571-parachutes" target="_blank">PARACHUTES by Kelly Yang</a></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55004121-an-emotion-of-great-delight" target="_blank">AN EMOTION OF GREAT DELIGHT by Tahereh Mafi</a></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49247316-far-from-normal" target="_blank">FAR FROM NORMAL by Becky Wallace</a></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38097294-the-revolution-of-birdie-randolph" target="_blank">THE REVOLUTION OF BIRDIE RANDOLPH by Brandy Colbert</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I also want to give a shout-out to two excellent Middle Grade books: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36127488-front-desk" target="_blank">FRONT DESK by Kelly Yang</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54870170-the-shape-of-thunder" target="_blank">THE SHAPE OF THUNDER by Jasmine Warga</a>.</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">--</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><i>Please tell us (because we never have a big enough to-read pile, haha!) what were YOUR favorite reads of 2021?</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-58048638506358505332020-02-03T16:37:00.000-05:002020-02-03T16:37:02.205-05:00Our Favorite Reads of 2019<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
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2019 was... a year. And 2020 is... another one.<br />
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Rather than go off on all the things -- good and bad and crazy -- that have happened or are happening or may happen soon, let's stay focused on our happy place: books.<br />
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Here are the ones that we loved in 2019, and the ones we're hoping to love in 2020!<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">STEPHANIE</span></b><br />
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2019<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36329818-legendary" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506803153l/36329818.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12842828-keeper-of-the-lost-cities" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1326469854l/12842828.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260670-exile" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1365178949l/13260670.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260668-everblaze" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1397660776l/13260668.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22733616-neverseen" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422383369l/22733616.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34275232-the-hazel-wood" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500549460l/34275232._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40381392-finale" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1540221721l/40381392.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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2020<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43565384-the-night-country" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553892492l/43565384.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46346381-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570633798l/46346381._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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And I'm looking forward to finishing Keeper of the Lost Cities!<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">INGRID</span></b><br />
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2019<br />
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506026635l/35133922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506026635l/35133922.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492601464l/29283884._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492601464l/29283884._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1564647507l/31434883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1564647507l/31434883.jpg" width="132" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553281123l/42245770._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553281123l/42245770._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556559178l/34810320._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556559178l/34810320._SY475_.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="128" /></a></div>
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2020<br />
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556748979l/43842141._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556748979l/43842141._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">SARAH</span></b><br />
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2019<br />
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562786502l/40180098._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562786502l/40180098._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549373129l/36373564._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549373129l/36373564._SY475_.jpg" width="128" /></a> <a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527807139l/40275288._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527807139l/40275288._SY475_.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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2020<br />
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542211603l/34045334._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542211603l/34045334._SY475_.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple;">KRISTAN</span></b><br />
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2019<br />
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2020<br />
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What about you? We would love to know your favorite reads in 2019, and what you're looking forward to (that we should probably add to our TBR list) in 2020!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-82545715845903272042019-05-10T15:21:00.000-04:002019-05-10T15:23:22.376-04:00April Reads<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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Happy May! We hope your spring is full of warm sunny days and lots of good stories. Here is a look at the books we’ve been reading over the past month:<br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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I didn't have much time for reading this month, because I've been determined to finish my current writing project by the end of April. But I did manage to finish <i>Exile</i> by Shannon Messenger, the second book in the <i>Keeper of the Lost Cities</i> series, and I loved it so much. I'm really enjoying all the mind powers in this world.<br />
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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April was a slow reading month for me too. I did finish SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT RACE by Ijeoma Oluo, though. It was an extremely worthwhile read, and equipped me with valuable tools and language to help dismantle systemic racism, both in myself and in others. Then I read the digital novella OPAL by Maggie Stiefvater. In her usual one-of-a-kind style, Stiefvater gives us a brief but enjoyable glimpse into the summer after the events of The Raven Boys series, focused primarily on Ronan and Adam (and Ronan's dreamthing Opal, obviously).<br />
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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Spring Break gave me a good two weeks to laze about with books. I finished the brilliant COURTING DARKNESS by Robin Lafevers and THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE by Samantha Shannon, which easily took up most of my spare hours and has tucked itself into my top reads shelf. Definitely need to re-visit and re-read this one because it's just fantastic. I read LAMENT by Maggie Stiefvater and am now reading BALLAD and it feels a bit like time travel to the beginning of the YA renaissance. Remember when asked what made a book YA and people in the know would reply: voice. This early series is bursting at the seams with voice and that's why I love it.<br />
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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Since our last check-in back in February, I've read the following: STARFISH by Akemi Dawn Bowman, THE UNTETHERED SOUL: THE JOURNEY BEYOND YOURSELF by Michael A Singer, UNBECOMING by Jenny Downham, TRUE WEST by Sam Shepard, NOTHING LEFT TO BURN by Heather Ezell, and LONG WAY DOWN by Jason Reynolds. What a rich, diverse set of stories to consume in a matter of weeks! I ventured outside my contemporary ya comfort zone to devour a novel in verse, a play, and a spiritual exploration of Enlightenment. I was swept away by the strong female relationships in UNBECOMING, disheartened and then rejuvenated by the emotional journeys of the MCs in STARFISH and NOTHING LEFT TO BURN, and devastated by the hard truths in LONG WAY DOWN. My literary well is full! <br />
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-62451298921530685572019-03-04T17:29:00.001-05:002019-03-04T17:31:38.529-05:00February Reads<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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Spring is fast-approaching, and we're almost out of the dark. Remember, the best way to stay warm is by being active, so keep turning those pages! Here are the books that kept us warm this past month:<br />
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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Wow, I've read a lot since our last check-in!<br />
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In YA, there was MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD by Francisco X. Stork, THE LAST BEST STORY by Maggie Lehrman, and THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas. Of the three, my favorite was actually The Last Best Story, because I was totally a newspaper nerd in high school, and because I think the novel does a lot of difficult things well. (Including wit, tension, alternating perspectives, and remaking/updating an old story.) But Marcelo and T.H.U.G. were both very good too; I completely understand why they are so lauded. (In particular, I loved the voices and characters from Garden Heights.)<br />
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In non-YA, I read HERE AND NOW AND THEN by Mike Chen, a sci-fi novel that's really a father-daughter story at heart, as well as EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid, which follows a couple as they are forced to migrate around the world. I enjoyed both, so yeah, it's been a great month of reading!
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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This month I started the <i>Keeper of the Lost Cities</i> series by Shannon Messenger, read <i>The Hazel Wood</i> by Melissa Albert, and finished off <i>A Winter's Promise</i> by Christelle Dabos. Of the three, <i>The Hazel Wood</i> was the one that stood out the most to me. It was dark and twisty, and I loved the fairytales within this story. After I finished it, I was poking around on YouTube and found <a href="https://youtu.be/6IK7PHF1N_Q" target="blank">this video</a> of Melissa in conversation with Holly Black, which makes me think their books might be similar in style/tone? So I finally went out and bought a copy of <i>The Cruel Prince</i> for next month.
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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This month I lived and breathed WINTER OF THE WITCH and there were some absolutely perfect moments that I can’t stop thinking about. I haven’t been this enamoured with a witchy character since CHIME.
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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In February, I thundered through the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, finishing up SCARLET, racing through CRESS, and wading knee-deep into WINTER. I also sneaked in a classic — REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier — and was swept away by the voice, story, and gorgeous setting. Finally, I stumbled across WILD BIRD by Wendelin Van Draanen while browsing online, ordered the book, and read it in two sittings. It's the story of 14yo wild-child Wren, who is sent to a wilderness therapy program for troubled teens in the Utah desert. It's exactly my kind of book — high on emotion and introspection, doesn't shy away from tough issues, and always maintains a slice of hope.
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-64295545994087667672019-02-04T17:00:00.000-05:002019-02-04T17:00:57.829-05:00January Reads and 2019 Goals<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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Happy February! We hope your year is going well so far and that you are greedily reading all the things. Here is what we've read in the past month as well as what are goals are this year. (If we <i>have</i> goals. Spoiler alert: not all of us do!)<br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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GOALS<br />
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For the past several years, I’ve aimed to read 50 books a year. I’ve never once reached that goal. But this year is going to be the year! (Although, if not, that’s okay. This is all for fun, right?) I would also like to be less reliant on audiobooks this year and spend more time reading physical books. <br />
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WHAT I READ THIS MONTH<br />
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This month, I started the year off strong. I finished <i>The Train of Lost Things</i> by Ammi-Joan Paquette, which I started last fall. I read <i>Legendary</i> by Stephanie Garber, the sequel to <i>Caraval</i>. I am in love with this series and can’t believe I have to wait until May for the next book! I also read <i>City of Ghosts</i> by Victoria Schwab. This is actually the first of her books I’ve read to completion, but now I need more! <i>The Bear and the Nightingale</i> by Katherine Arden took me by surprise. It’s so beautifully archaic that it felt hundreds of years old — in the best way. My quickest read was a collection of poetry, <i>The Princess Saves Herself in This One</i> by Amanda Lovelace, which I finished in just two days.
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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GOALS<br />
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I do have a reading goal, mostly because it feels fun to set a "challenge" on GoodReads and then watch it get tracked throughout the year. This year my goal is 24 books, or 2 per month on average. Since having a kid, I've only managed to read 10-15 books per year, but I like pushing myself a little bit. This year I happen to be interested in a lot of Middle Grade titles, which might help me meet the quota, since they tend to be a little shorter than YA and adult works.<br />
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WHAT I READ THIS MONTH<br />
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So far I've read two books this year. First I finished THERE THERE by Tommy Orange, a much heralded (perhaps too much?) literary debut about life for modern day, urban Native Americans. It was powerful and interesting, but intense. Then I devoured ALL YOU CAN EVER KNOW by Nicole Chung, a writer I've admired for awhile. The book is about her search for her birth family, intertwined with her becoming a mother. I found it extremely moving.
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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GOALS<br />
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Last year I set a reading goal of 40 books (twice as many as I'd read in 2017), and I reached it by the skin of my teeth! I hope to read close to 40 again in 2019 but I'm not setting a hard and fast challenge. My goals this year are centered around writing deadlines instead. That said, I read four books last month so I'm off to a pretty good start. <br />
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WHAT I READ THIS MONTH<br />
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The first book I read in January was EDUCATED, a memoir by Tara Westover that was absolutely fascinating. Next, I read HERE WE ARE NOW by Jasmine Warga, a compelling coming-of-age novel about discovering your roots and accepting yourself. Plus: lovely writing. Finally, I gobbled up CINDER and SCARLET, the first two books of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. They were both endearing and entertaining, and I have a newfound love for sci-fi/fairytale retellings (thanks, Marissa!).
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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GOALS<br />
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I have no reading goals; there isn't a number or a type of book that I'd like to tick off a list. I like the spontaneity of choosing and having the freedom to re-read, which I do a lot. Putting a goal on my reading seems like putting on a tie. A very tight and tiny tie. Maybe next I'll read a book on analogies... <br />
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WHAT I READ THIS MONTH<br />
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I’ve read THE WICKED KING twice and thought it was perfect. I’m now in the middle of THE WINTER OF THE WITCH. As usual, Fantasy dominates my reading choices.
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-78466471237711768372019-01-15T12:07:00.000-05:002019-01-15T12:09:19.785-05:00Our Most Anticipated Reads of 2019<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
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And just as we like to close each December with books, we also like to start each January with... books! Here are a few of the reads we are most looking forward to this year:<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Sarah</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26032887-the-wicked-king" target="_blank"><b>The Wicked King</b> by Holly Black</a> - Enough said.<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Ingrid</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrSfn6AjtqsFjLuzBfwxiVGjEuhkbgVg5Z432dm14INV0kWGmL2NMfzgSulZ8BeK_zbA6u4h7DCHK7jgyhZ-stq9htY4DWpHWjYTwo5LV2_s0zvvKZwfOxewLj6pJhq5AqiaahxJgRYnu/s1600/41147279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrSfn6AjtqsFjLuzBfwxiVGjEuhkbgVg5Z432dm14INV0kWGmL2NMfzgSulZ8BeK_zbA6u4h7DCHK7jgyhZ-stq9htY4DWpHWjYTwo5LV2_s0zvvKZwfOxewLj6pJhq5AqiaahxJgRYnu/s200/41147279.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ALixF-4JV8KLXpf7pE73faMebTm-biySleqCS_jiS393dmJVYT_fFskhsReV435hJkMOmLSYY_0co5BCfNbEvfEpS3yH72oj19HwBDlV1CW_5qiAKSYwPGwLr9KqkPvh9a3cMm9WhY-h/s1600/39280397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ALixF-4JV8KLXpf7pE73faMebTm-biySleqCS_jiS393dmJVYT_fFskhsReV435hJkMOmLSYY_0co5BCfNbEvfEpS3yH72oj19HwBDlV1CW_5qiAKSYwPGwLr9KqkPvh9a3cMm9WhY-h/s200/39280397.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aoUbhlLCpqKTCH69TBTUDYvNPYpioq3uPvtcEu0yBcHfrRqPsh5249AlSY4cPNwOAJhAK7LqPG4bMsg3iUE9nQL6R0QryCKf3kIwe098trlHHIbh834XqfbhukFlrsP5hlapGu5YYOA9/s1600/35068618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aoUbhlLCpqKTCH69TBTUDYvNPYpioq3uPvtcEu0yBcHfrRqPsh5249AlSY4cPNwOAJhAK7LqPG4bMsg3iUE9nQL6R0QryCKf3kIwe098trlHHIbh834XqfbhukFlrsP5hlapGu5YYOA9/s200/35068618.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nVrKCy8WyicKUzVIl-a-PrYw3XjPMN5TQEfbALuDAfgLSrid6AcAfCaycpPmyMNREQheyOmo2_OZK8PKrWAL8i4bZRGWWjHE_clZPpdkqyFPhmOgnXjyzSmmyGwCmuZfQBpVu1Meq0iW/s1600/36511805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nVrKCy8WyicKUzVIl-a-PrYw3XjPMN5TQEfbALuDAfgLSrid6AcAfCaycpPmyMNREQheyOmo2_OZK8PKrWAL8i4bZRGWWjHE_clZPpdkqyFPhmOgnXjyzSmmyGwCmuZfQBpVu1Meq0iW/s200/36511805.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUNAHqNjJ1ZrM6hU2bN_Y28CY6hoSf8i3YRUYmcJXdELT3r3dEC6TwLgW8pHUgA_gJhJOGiWfeSKv5FLbtPQRRVjwd6x4sCaYy-mJY649YobYiq8syzD5h2YmASKKenQiijY0ucO6Lx0E/s1600/40653162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUNAHqNjJ1ZrM6hU2bN_Y28CY6hoSf8i3YRUYmcJXdELT3r3dEC6TwLgW8pHUgA_gJhJOGiWfeSKv5FLbtPQRRVjwd6x4sCaYy-mJY649YobYiq8syzD5h2YmASKKenQiijY0ucO6Lx0E/s200/40653162.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-si4E-wOLUtaOE1jHx9NDHUKbpUez2JyX4Mc7L5_6qtRJBMQUKE7Pq7HLhYNHBE72TF94ECS0OuwKMFngqpOryb7PdFlEHOym8Lt7-iY9TJf-abWzakuu5dLhE3egJ1kUWABfzYI3FIMz/s1600/30254032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-si4E-wOLUtaOE1jHx9NDHUKbpUez2JyX4Mc7L5_6qtRJBMQUKE7Pq7HLhYNHBE72TF94ECS0OuwKMFngqpOryb7PdFlEHOym8Lt7-iY9TJf-abWzakuu5dLhE3egJ1kUWABfzYI3FIMz/s200/30254032.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39280397-the-summer-of-69" target="_blank">The Summer of '69 by Todd Strasser</a></b> - This is historical fiction based in a time period I was slightly obsessed with when I was a teenager...the 60s. In this novel, the MC deals with the Vietnam War draft, true love, free love, family dysfunction, and life choices—and it all culminates at the Woodstock festival.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068618-on-the-come-up" target="_blank">On the Come Up by Angie Thomas</a></b> - Love the cover of this book and loved The Hate U Give, so of course I'm gonna read this!<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41147279-again-but-better" target="_blank">Again, but Better by Christine Riccio</a></b> - Straight-laced girl spends a semester abroad in London. She's going to right all her college mistakes: make friends, pursue boys, and find adventure! Sounds like a fun read, which I definitely need mixed in between all the dark, heavy stuff I typically choose.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36511805-serious-moonlight" target="_blank">Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett</a></b> - This book has so much that appeals to me-- nighttime jaunts in Seattle, romance, a mysterious reclusive author, and an introverted MC who wants to break out of her shell.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30254032-heroine" target="_blank">Heroine by Mindy McGinnis</a></b> - Addiction is an issue I repeatedly tackle in my own books, so I'm always interested in reading about this particular problem. Plus, I loved Female of the Species and definitely appreciate books (and writers) that don't sugarcoat the darker aspects of life. Plus: check out the cool cover.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40653162-call-it-what-you-want" target="_blank">Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer</a></b> - From Goodreads: 'This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?' Well, this is one of the big questions I explore in All Out of Pretty, so I'm interested in reading this novel based on that simple description. Also, I loved Letters to the Lost (see favorite reads of 2018), so I already love Brigid's writing style.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Steph</span></b><br />
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I'm a little behind the times with what books are coming out, but I've got a few new-to-me books on my nightstand I'm excited about. I received <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2495567.The_Name_of_the_Wind" target="_blank"><b>The Name of the Wind</b> by Patrick Rothfuss</a> for Christmas, which I've been meaning to read for a long time. Then I got <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38915707-cozy-minimalist-home" target="_blank"><b>Cozy Minimalist Home</b> by Myquillyn Smith</a> in a white elephant exchange. I also just downloaded <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38746485-becoming" target="_blank"><b>Becoming</b> by Michelle Obama</a> on audible.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Kristan</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35396585-the-poet-x" target="_blank"><b>The Poet X</b> by Elizabeth Acevedo</a> - This will be my first read of the year, and I'm listening to it on audio, because <a href="https://girlontheroam.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">my friend Alice</a> recommended it, and the author has experience with spoken word poetry, so I trust her to do a bang-up job with her own novel in verse. So far it's fantastic!</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38720939-a-very-large-expanse-of-sea" target="_blank"><b>A Very Large Expanse of Sea</b> by Tahereh Mafi</a> - I love that after all her success in fantasy and dystopia, Tahereh Mafi is turning inward to a quieter contemporary story. Breakdancing + Muslim culture + romance? I'm so there.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35398627-other-words-for-home" target="_blank"><b>Other Words for Home </b>by Jasmine Warga</a> - Jasmine is a friend, yes, and that makes it even more special that I love her writing so much. This book is her first turn toward Middle Grade, and I'm looking forward to seeing her explore this new voice and territory: a Syrian refugee girl coming to the Midwest US and redefining her ideas about home, family, and self.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35828100-summer-of-a-thousand-pies" target="_blank"><b>Summer of a Thousand Pies </b>by Margaret Dilloway</a> - PIE. Need I say more? Okay, fine. This story (by another friend of mine who happens to be fabulous writer) tackles a lot of big topics -- grief, homelessness, immigration -- with heart and humor. I can't wait to dig in!<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40599855-stealing-home" target="_blank"><b>Stealing Home </b>by Becky Wallace</a> - Two disclaimers: (1) Becky is ALSO a friend (I'm so lucky! such wonderful and talented friends) and (2) my husband used to work for a minor league baseball team, so I definitely feel a personal connection to this story. But really, who WOULDN'T love a sporty rom-com?<br />
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<i>What books are YOU looking forward to in 2019?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-83697580884105919392019-01-03T14:35:00.001-05:002019-01-03T14:35:28.034-05:00Our Favorite Reads of 2018<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
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We love to close out each year by reflecting on the great books that we've read. We can't name them all, but here are a few of our favorites (in no particular order):<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Ingrid</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4p0pYHuGqEiJyN9QLadjcLBF3k_6hkW2OPd6kAQRwLGV7ZNiiHH5E-bbqjQFmSZ0FNGe7SKqFQ33HO7ReMjFdmOF1narw23R-nzhhNXH3YIzS8f5erOoQPFlhv9I_PcG1ZSEj0x1Qkgal/s1600/30038855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4p0pYHuGqEiJyN9QLadjcLBF3k_6hkW2OPd6kAQRwLGV7ZNiiHH5E-bbqjQFmSZ0FNGe7SKqFQ33HO7ReMjFdmOF1narw23R-nzhhNXH3YIzS8f5erOoQPFlhv9I_PcG1ZSEj0x1Qkgal/s200/30038855.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qbt_AilL81ZoeEChHz8BIL-H38RUlOy4V0F94CEptFoEW4Yf6RSAYUNf0ixaXE2zumewUmzUDCHAXadBMkEccXoXs0TOVl0CDZJdE-e0fghyHyORp5e9LgPyPYE0IPTRs1yiTNHTeh2U/s1600/31952703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qbt_AilL81ZoeEChHz8BIL-H38RUlOy4V0F94CEptFoEW4Yf6RSAYUNf0ixaXE2zumewUmzUDCHAXadBMkEccXoXs0TOVl0CDZJdE-e0fghyHyORp5e9LgPyPYE0IPTRs1yiTNHTeh2U/s200/31952703.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyUvvSWPoqPfnzdqed0o4xAc3ep1fv0H_4_gWSzuZuzdIC-bnhah6A-Brl39MMdmsBU2QrVIO2CZv4kPItTc9WszMU4Bp-1izvVrI8Nh0UIFmtPCG1g_WIJTiV63rw1PpDOWe8G50Qxiv/s1600/33224144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyUvvSWPoqPfnzdqed0o4xAc3ep1fv0H_4_gWSzuZuzdIC-bnhah6A-Brl39MMdmsBU2QrVIO2CZv4kPItTc9WszMU4Bp-1izvVrI8Nh0UIFmtPCG1g_WIJTiV63rw1PpDOWe8G50Qxiv/s200/33224144.jpg" width="141" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz9RaEGUVR1IjUaWuYTQGHVNEMedEuZdkSrw2hTMxiUrCI69aZSeQx5OJ9fu9QVcifZxur0imshiYTJ6SE1WCEviNXm60ZWaMw7cpeo5woUFhcOvoY7u176hYNgRSfQm9pe8l61qo1YyF/s1600/33830437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz9RaEGUVR1IjUaWuYTQGHVNEMedEuZdkSrw2hTMxiUrCI69aZSeQx5OJ9fu9QVcifZxur0imshiYTJ6SE1WCEviNXm60ZWaMw7cpeo5woUFhcOvoY7u176hYNgRSfQm9pe8l61qo1YyF/s200/33830437.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8qD8Lz3U8WAHJVbR3dl95kzQuv8_r9hFMbje3cZvUtLa7hcSveJ5TSo8a4sZeOV_f8DNgqky13LU2YZ3eYobas6RRoceWj94t5rcz12kGeReQQ7ekWFt26QmZFKNF9y83AtNTIdMsEEd/s1600/36519545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8qD8Lz3U8WAHJVbR3dl95kzQuv8_r9hFMbje3cZvUtLa7hcSveJ5TSo8a4sZeOV_f8DNgqky13LU2YZ3eYobas6RRoceWj94t5rcz12kGeReQQ7ekWFt26QmZFKNF9y83AtNTIdMsEEd/s200/36519545.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b>Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley (audio) </b>- The beauty and depth and whimsy of this novel can be summed up in two words: Letter Library. Please, please let me live in the Letter Library! <br />
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<b>Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer (audio)</b> - Apparently I have a letter theme going on this year... Oh, how this book gutted me. If you need a good cry, this will do it. It's heartbreaking but also heartwarming. <br />
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<b>Far From the Tree by Robin Benway (audio)</b> - The premise hooked me right away: "Three siblings adopted into different families find each other as teens, right when they need each other most." This book did so many things right. The three main characters tell their stories from three points of view, and I was invested in them all. The emotions felt raw, the characters authentic. Plus, solid storytelling.<br />
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<b>Someday, Somewhere by Lindsay Champion</b> - Lindsay is a fellow 2018 debut author (and our books shared a launch day!) so I was able to get my hands on a copy of her ARC before publication, and it was all-around gorgeous. The writing is lyrical but the form doesn't overshadow the plot or characterization. It's a bittersweet love story yet so much more. When I finished reading, I felt completely satisfied and thought: That was the perfect ending.<br />
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<b>I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall</b> - Kate is also an Electric 18 debut author, and her novel is a page-turning thriller. A disabled 16-year-old winds up alone in the Canadian wilderness with winter closing in...and that's before things get really dicey. A heart-stopping survival story. (Warning: after page 306, guys, you will never be the same.) <br />
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<i>**You may have noticed that three of my five chosen books were consumed on audio. If you're looking for good audio books, these were all wonderful reads by exceptional voice actors.</i><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Sarah</span></b><br />
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<b>The Poet X</b> by Elizabeth Acevedo</div>
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<b>The Bear and the Nightingale</b> and <b>The Girl in the Tower</b> by Katherine Arden</div>
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<b>Now I Rise</b> by Kiersten White</div>
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<b>Circe</b> by Madeline Miller</div>
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<b>Muse of Nightmares</b> by Laini Taylor</div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Steph</span></b><br />
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Confession: I read very little in 2018. I spent most of the year re-listening to the <b>Harry Potter </b>audiobooks while feverishly sewing my own wedding dress. But I did read <b>The Muse of Nightmares</b> by Laini Taylor, which would have been my favorite this year, no matter how many books I read. I adored it.</div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Kristan</span></b></div>
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<b>This Is Really Happening by Erin Chack</b> - I absolutely adored this collection of real life stories about humor writer Erin Chack's teens and twenties, and I wish it were getting more attention. Funny, heartfelt, insightful, and well-written. Get on this!<br />
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<b>Here We Are Now by Jasmine Warga</b> - Jasmine is a good friend, and this is a great book. It's about music, striking out on your own, finding family, understanding family, understanding yourself, and love of all kinds.</div>
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<b>All Out of Pretty by Ingrid Palmer</b> - Surely it's not a shock that I love this book. I've been in love with Ingrid's writing ever since we met almost 10 years ago. Her lyrical voice, authentic teenage perspective, and gritty but uplifting stories captivated me. I'm so proud of her for this debut novel, and so excited for the books still to come.</div>
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<b>Sadie by Courtney Summers</b> - This is such a tough book to talk about, because the subject matter is rather grim, and yet there is so much heart and beauty and grace in the writing. The structure is also very clever and fun, with the main arc of the story framed by a series of podcasts episodes.</div>
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<b>Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor</b> - Have you noticed a trend yet? We are big Laini fans around here, and these books perfectly encompass why. Her imagination, insights, prose... it's all so magical! Dark and deep and delightful. </div>
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What were YOUR favorite reads of 2018?<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-65973113487826788402018-04-03T11:25:00.000-04:002018-04-03T11:25:37.876-04:00A Love Letter to My Critique Group<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKeNACxNQQoAs8f0OKxj5O9dS6iBZdKzLJHL_8xxDUL-H0cZmx6m1yLu7te5eBoJJeJKPs8Kr9QbcjfDBIAGWCmY1Gk20OUpBUxRCmBpihjeloQC6OHvj-WtfmhnGRPu1_nLBnnssZrQ/s708/PBing.png" /><br />
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Dear Kristan, Sarah and Stephanie, </div>
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A letter from last night...</div>
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It is the eve of my publishing debut.</div>
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I'm sitting at my computer sipping some wine and trying to wrap my head around the facts of that sentence. The sheer, impossible facts. Anyone who has spent time working toward this 'published author' gig surely knows what I mean. There are so many hours and weeks and years of work that go into producing a finished manuscript...and then so many more that go into querying and submitting and editing. But we continue to write and query and edit because we must. It's something<i> </i>that lies deep in our bones. </div>
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Except. I can see how, without a support group of like-minded people, writing for publication could be a dream unrealized. For me, it might have been words upon words that never stretched or grew. There's no doubt in my mind that without the help of my critique group, I would not be sitting here typing this now.</div>
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WeHeartYA came together in 2009, when the four of us were part of a larger group called Cincinnati Fiction Writers. Joining<i> any</i> critique group was a huge, scary step for me back then. But each day I grew more confident, listening to and contributing to the discussions. And then one day I built up the courage to ask the fabulous Sarah Wedgbrow if she wanted to exchange manuscripts for review. Thankfully, she said yes! And soon we became four, with the brilliant Kristan Hoffman and the creative Stephanie Mooney, joining us. Kristan's perceptiveness, Sarah's sense of humor, and Stephanie's introspection were apparent and appreciated. We were all writing in the young adult genre and, though we each had a different style, somehow we fit together perfectly.</div>
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Ladies, I can't believe it has been almost a decade since we started meeting at the bookstore cafe on Monday nights with our printed manuscripts and our pens poised. Years of laughter and Kristan's perfect handwriting (it really <i>is</i> perfect, like its own font)...years of movie nights, Steak 'n Shake, and Sarah's "banned words" (yes, there's an actual list)...years of honesty and Steph's never-ending talents (this girl can draw, act, write, sew, design, etc.)...years of you all putting up with my indecisiveness ("Option A or Option B?"). We've weathered cross-country and transcontinental moves, seen each other through weddings and births and deaths, and cheered each other on through setbacks and achievements. It has been quite the ride.</div>
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I can't thank the three of you enough for helping me reach this lifelong writing goal. But more importantly, I want to thank you for our lovely circle of friendship that I cherish and celebrate above all else. GFFF!!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Ingrid<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu8tTCTtn-Q2-t88Mz3SKZtJ6yjX4UxH7gZccVB_A4mbFeZbESx1VPkuyVaGqCjIuzO8a170YdbDP6EM5lY6eycpUmsO5PzZvhASFUtg32XFSLl9a0FwVhJolIKbHfOPi3raWE12S10Yg/s1600/IMG_8422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu8tTCTtn-Q2-t88Mz3SKZtJ6yjX4UxH7gZccVB_A4mbFeZbESx1VPkuyVaGqCjIuzO8a170YdbDP6EM5lY6eycpUmsO5PzZvhASFUtg32XFSLl9a0FwVhJolIKbHfOPi3raWE12S10Yg/s320/IMG_8422.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ingrid Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04364524474913363888noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-75281116883098563532018-03-05T08:36:00.000-05:002018-03-05T08:36:48.363-05:00Two Debut Authors Chat About Book Publishing, Pantsing and Pirate's Booty <div style="text-align: center;">
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-7256914b-f38a-bc3f-5380-f61735e331e6"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few months ago, fellow 2018 debut author Farrah Penn and I interviewed each other about our upcoming contemporary YA books and publishing experiences. Since Farrah's book, 12 STEPS TO NORMAL, comes out in just one week and my book, ALL OUT OF PRETTY, releases in less than a month, I thought this was the perfect time to share our conversation with the blogosphere. Hope you enjoy it!<br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><b>12 STEPS TO NORMAL, </b>out from Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown in March 2018, is about a teen who moves back home after her father finishes Sober Living rehabilitation and finds her life upside-down. When she develops her own 12 steps to get back to normal, she has to redefine what “normal” really is. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><b>ALL OUT OF PRETTY</b>, releasing from Creston Books in April 2018, is about straight-A student Andrea Hathaway, who finds herself indebted to her mother's drug-dealer boyfriend. In order to survive, she learns to keep her head down and her mouth shut. But soon she realizes that surviving is not enough; she must use her smarts to plan an escape—even if it means betraying her best friends and leaving her mother behind.</span></div>
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<b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Farrah: I</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">t sounds like both of our books deal with different types of hardships and teenagers grappling at normalcy. What inspired you to write ALL OUT OF PRETTY?
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</b><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingrid: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">For me, it always starts with character. Andrea, the MC in ALL OUT OF PRETTY, was actually a minor character in the first novel I ever tried to write back when I was a teenager. When I decided to dust off that novel and work on it years later, my critique partners mentioned how compelling Andrea was and encouraged me to write her story someday. So a couple of years later, after letting that idea percolate, Andrea’s voice and full story came to me. Once I started writing it, I couldn’t stop.
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</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">TWELVE STEPS TO NORMAL sounds amazing — I can’t wait to read about Kira’s journey! How did you come up with the idea, and what was the most challenging part about writing it?</span></div>
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</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Farrah: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s amazing how much we learn from our prior work! I have MANY shelved books and stole a kissing scene from one to put into TWELVE STEPS, haha.
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</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted to write a hopeful story about a father and daughter whose relationship was rocky due to his struggle with alcoholism — yet focus on how that would directly affect Kira (my main character). But I also love a sweet romance, so I definitely wanted to include that in Kira’s journey with figuring out WHO may be right for her, and who she thinks is right for her. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I think the most challenging part was writing those real, raw emotions of loving someone who is an addict, as it’s a disease my own father suffered from. </span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Should I move on to a fun question?! Do you have a “receiving The Call” story??</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingrid: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes! Well, for my agent (the awesome Shannon Hassan of Marsal Lyon Literary), the moment I remember most was getting her email after she requested my book. I’ll never forget clicking it open and reading the words “I love it!” I was so excited I couldn’t breathe. And then when she called me several months later to tell me about the offer from Creston, I basically started crying with happiness. My husband was there and we hugged, and my son was doing fist pumps in the background. It was an amazing moment.
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</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Same question back at you!</span></div>
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</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Farrah: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Aww, that is so sweet your family was there to enjoy that moment with you!
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</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">When my agent called to tell me TWELVE STEPS had sold, I was in the car on my lunch break running an errand. I answered through Bluetooth but ended up pulling over into some random gas station to talk because I was so surprised and excited. It was surreal! After, I immediately called my mom and sister and ended up taking a much longer lunch break than I intended (but I don’t think anyone noticed!) </span></div>
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</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">But it’s a lot of work getting that life-changing call. What was your publication journey like? Was there a moment you felt like giving up?</span></div>
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</b><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingrid: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh wow, you definitely needed to pull over for that call — and I agree that an extended lunch break was in order!
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</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I started writing ALL OUT OF PRETTY six years ago, so it has been a long and emotional journey. The first time I queried I got a lot of requests and encouragement, but no offers of representation. I started seeing a pattern in the feedback I was getting, so I took about two years to revise/rewrite and then started the query process again. I’m a pretty persistent person, so giving up was never an option for me. Of course, there were times when I felt discouraged and frustrated (like when I wrote ten different versions of chapter one and then ended up with something close to the original!), but I deeply believed in these characters and this story, and my perseverance eventually paid off! </span></div>
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</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What has been the most enjoyable — and the most difficult — part of your writing journey? </span></div>
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</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Farrah: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ugh, I love hearing success stories like this! I think publishing is a mix of perseverance, hard work, and luck. It’s subjective for SURE, but your persistence paid off!!
I’m not an overnight success story, so the most difficult part for me was moving on from previous books I’d written. My agent and I went on submission with three different YA books before TWELVE STEPS sold. It’s hard not to feel like a talentless failure when you don’t get any bites, especially when you’re comparing yourself to everyone else (which, I know you shouldn’t do but I’M NOT PERFECT!!). But the most enjoyable part so far has been working with an enthusiastic, lovely publishing team who is passionate about this story.
Okay, what piece of writing advice would you pass along to another debut author? </span></div>
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<b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingrid: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It looks like we are both good examples of persistence leading to success! I think your journey is super inspiring, and I understand all those fears and doubts. It’s so hard to keep moving forward, and especially hard to let go of characters you love. I’m working on a new book right now, but I still plan to go back and rework my old stories someday. Or at least mine them for gems ;)
Hmm, writing advice...I think if someone asked, I would pass along the advice that I tried to follow when I was drafting: Don’t be afraid to write what scares you. That, and of course, never give up!
Did you always know that you wanted to be a writer? What did you read as a teen?</span></div>
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</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Farrah: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Absolutely! Those are both VERY solid pieces of advice!
I’d always dreamed of becoming a writer, but I NEVER thought it’d be possible for me to do it professionally! After college I sorta had the mindset of “OK, now I need to get a good job and make money” — but then realized getting a job doesn’t mean you have to stop writing entirely. It may be challenging to make the time, but it’s not impossible!
As a teen, I was ALL OVER the Fearless series by Francine Pascal. Gaia was my idol. I also read a ton of Meg Cabot (love her Mediator series!) and Sarah Dessen. And, of course, the Harry Potter books. </span></div>
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</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingrid: </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">You are absolutely right about making the time to write. Ooh, and I love all those authors you mentioned. Especially Sarah Dessen — I’m a huge fan of her books!
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<b>— Lightning Round —</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Are you a plotter or a pantser? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Farrah:</b> I’m about 50/50! I need to know where the story is going and have a path to the ending, but I love pantsing and coming up with all the middle stuff on the fly! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingrid:</b> Pantser all the way. I never fully know what shenanigans my characters are going to get into until I start typing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Your must-have snack or drink when writing? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Farrah: </b>Coffee! Also, Pirate’s Booty, pomegranates, and cheese are my go-to snacks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingrid: </b>Coffee, for sure, but it has to be the yummy kind filled with chocolate and sugar! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Favorite non-writing hobbies? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingrid: </b>Hiking, running, and (lately) renovating my house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Farrah:</b> Hiking for me, too! Also, hanging out with my dog (: and exploring new places in LA with friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingrid: </b>Oh yeah, I love hanging with my dog, too. He is the best! We should go hiking together with our dogs someday, Farrah! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here’s a VERY important final question: which Hogwarts house do you associate with? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Farrah: </b>I’ve been Pottermore sorted into Gryffindor, but I also feel strong loyalties toward Hufflepuff. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingrid: </b>Nice! I have been sorted into Ravenclaw, with Gryffindor a close second. But I honestly don’t think I’m brave enough for Gryffindor, so Ravenclaw it is! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, that's a wrap. For more information or to preorder books, check out our author websites: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="http://www.farrahpenn.com/" target="_blank">farrahpenn.com </a> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://ingridpalmer.com/">ingridpalmer.com</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks for reading. I think we're off to grab some coffee now! </span></span></div>
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Ingrid Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04364524474913363888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-46416096959115689262018-02-15T15:41:00.001-05:002018-02-15T15:42:59.776-05:00What we read in January 2018<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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I started this year with two and half weeks of flu and sinus havoc, so I'm off to a slow reading start. But I did squeeze in one book. I read <i>Big Magic</i> by Elizabeth Gilbert, and it was so so inspiring. It's all about giving yourself permission to be creative. I wanted to take a highlighter to half of it.
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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I was sick at the beginning of the year too, but that actually gave me <i>more</i> time to read, haha, because I was too exhausted to do pretty much anything else. My first book of 2018 was STARFISH by Akemi Dawn Bowman, which was a really thoughtful story about anxiety and art and family, and becoming who you are. Because a lot of it is character-driven and internal, it reminded me a little of ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Stephanie Perkins.<br><br>
Then I read THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING by Erin Chack, a collection of personal essays about life and love (and cancer) in the author's late teens and early twenties. These stories are so funny, and heartfelt, and clever, and well-written! I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from Chack in the future.<br><br>
I just finished HERE WE ARE NOW by Jasmine Warga, and I loved it so much. It's a deceptively simple story on the surface, but then underneath it's this beautiful messy love letter to music, and to immigrants, and to the natural ups and downs of relationships of all kinds. Also, Jasmine is so good at narrative voice. And I absolutely adored the Lena/Julian chapters.
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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Back in December I was feeling so pumped for 2018 — my DEBUT YEAR, AHHHH! — that I decided to set a goal for myself to read at least 40 books. That's double what I read last year, and it means I have to read more than three books per month! I'm off to a good start, so hopefully I can keep it up.<br><br>
In January I read FAR FROM THE TREE by Robin Benway - a wonderful character-driven novel about family, love, and growing up. SEVEN ALONE by Honore Morrow - this true story about seven siblings on the Oregon Trail was my fave when I read it as a 5th grader. Inspired by Kristan's pioneer book last month, I found a used copy of SEVEN ALONE on Amazon. Guess what? I love it just as much 30 years later! GIRLS ON THE LINE by Jennie Liu - you MUST check out this upcoming novel (out Fall 2018) about two orphaned girls in China making their way to adulthood as they dodge bride traffickers and family planning regulators. Heart-wrenching! THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED by Becky Albertalli - I really enjoyed the sibling relationship aspect of this book, even more than the fun love story threads. And...I'm halfway through ATTACHMENTS by Rainbow Rowell - more on that next month!
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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This month I've been reading all things Holly Black. THE CRUEL PRINCE was compulsively good so I, of course, went back to the original "folk" trilogy to see which details I'd missed. With TITHE and IRONSIDE now swirling around my imagination, I'm cracking open VALIANT.
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-48784376484994772982018-01-22T11:31:00.000-05:002018-01-22T13:48:02.208-05:00So...I Have a Book Coming Out!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKeNACxNQQoAs8f0OKxj5O9dS6iBZdKzLJHL_8xxDUL-H0cZmx6m1yLu7te5eBoJJeJKPs8Kr9QbcjfDBIAGWCmY1Gk20OUpBUxRCmBpihjeloQC6OHvj-WtfmhnGRPu1_nLBnnssZrQ/s708/PBing.png" /><br />
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Hi guys, I'm so excited to "officially" share my good news here at We Heart YA!! Here's how it all happened:<br />
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Six years ago, I started writing a contemporary young adult book about an honors student who finds herself trapped in a dangerous life with her addict mother and a ruthless drug dealer. In October of 2016, a wonderful literary agent fell in love with my manuscript :) Six month after that, the story sold to a publishing house (yay!). And a few short months <i>from now</i>, my little book baby will be released into the wilds of the world (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36432939-all-out-of-pretty" target="_blank">here's a link to prove it's not a dream</a>).<br />
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My road to publication has been long and twisty, full of detours and potholes. And the journey didn't just start six years ago; it really started back in the 80s, when I was barely a young adult myself, pecking away on a dinosaur of a computer and writing my first novel. A lot of living and learning happened between then and now. Many, <i>many</i> dominoes fell into place to get me from there to here. And this past year has been nothing short of a dream come true. But it has also been a roller coaster ride, full of excitement and anxiety, exhilaration and terror. I know I'm not alone in this, so I'm planning to share a few articles about my experiences leading up to my (eeeep!) official pub date of April 3, 2018!<br />
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Next month I'll talk about what inspired the idea for the book as well as details about my publishing journey. But for now, I'd simply like to introduce you to Andrea -- my proud, beautiful-inside-and-out protagonist (hopefully someday she'll forgive me for torturing her) -- and her story, ALL OUT OF PRETTY...
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">All Out of Pretty - Creston Books - 4.3.18</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sixteen-year-old Andrea Hathaway knows what it's like to be pretty. Thanks to her gorgeous, drug-addicted mother, she also knows where pretty can lead...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">When things with her mom's boyfriend take a darker turn than she can bear, Andrea devises a plan to save herself. But freedom may cost her everything—and everyone—she cares about. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Check it out on: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939547482/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1939547482&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-out-of-pretty-ingrid-palmer/1127085066?ean=9781939547484#/" target="_blank">BarnesandNoble</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36432939-all-out-of-pretty" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781939547484" target="_blank">IndieBound</a></span></div>
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Ingrid Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04364524474913363888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-72447038001893122402017-12-30T23:26:00.000-05:002017-12-30T23:27:19.306-05:00Our Favorite Reads of 2017<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
<b>Sarah:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRFM7wY7ITLq9TgUSavXY5egW3A07ZoEc1mNKlF7UrEeBe9jNPm5rsZmjcjyqQyyNQkLNk1z-jGJMExInINbJefuDLgyvxxcRiCL9j1G0Nn7cj3RCdlSgbizMwVzj3RYKfFI0lFCZ0k4g/s1600/25310356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRFM7wY7ITLq9TgUSavXY5egW3A07ZoEc1mNKlF7UrEeBe9jNPm5rsZmjcjyqQyyNQkLNk1z-jGJMExInINbJefuDLgyvxxcRiCL9j1G0Nn7cj3RCdlSgbizMwVzj3RYKfFI0lFCZ0k4g/s200/25310356.jpg" width="130" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50Lug_8VgmBij65V4h1OZlC7Rp42YHGehpc3xjusMnXwnzqz6Sa7szbikkg0X_pX-Sij8KH_Kxov_dgmbZi5z0xx7s5eujBK_bfA7eosCEzcSQyCL8WznpISNE62mUwXdhSky0i6zS0Ug/s1600/30079439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50Lug_8VgmBij65V4h1OZlC7Rp42YHGehpc3xjusMnXwnzqz6Sa7szbikkg0X_pX-Sij8KH_Kxov_dgmbZi5z0xx7s5eujBK_bfA7eosCEzcSQyCL8WznpISNE62mUwXdhSky0i6zS0Ug/s200/30079439.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszOz82QaXJNEG4coklBQ_4jAK730n-bwV9qmMI7IHQN2D9jvp0ayYXOtqjI5OumYejSAmDl9-j7-GR0zw0yics-2q9Q6ZRve0zpm7iVQ17AelVLz0LdgU_bT5WA13G3MrVw5uZc2fCC4g/s1600/19161852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszOz82QaXJNEG4coklBQ_4jAK730n-bwV9qmMI7IHQN2D9jvp0ayYXOtqjI5OumYejSAmDl9-j7-GR0zw0yics-2q9Q6ZRve0zpm7iVQ17AelVLz0LdgU_bT5WA13G3MrVw5uZc2fCC4g/s200/19161852.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25310356-we-come-apart?from_search=true#" target="_blank">WE COME APART by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan</a><br />
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Dual POV novel-in-verse... I look forward to Sarah's latest projects each time. If you haven't checked her out, you should! Much deserved hype.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30079439-spellbook-of-the-lost-and-found?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">SPELLBOOK OF THE LOST AND FOUND by Moira Fowley-Doyle</a><br />
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Last year or the year before, I chose her debut THE ACCIDENT SEASON as my favourite, and this one has made it into my top three this year. Moira's books are firmly an insta-buy.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19161852-the-fifth-season?from_search=true" target="_blank">THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemison</a><br />
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This book is so many things that it's hard to put into words. So glad that I picked it up and, in a way, it's still doing its story-thing in my mind like it's stuck on a loop in the background of my other brain processes. I don't love this book like other books. It's not feel-good or romantic. I love it because it's a truth discovered and it's all the good and the bad mixed up. I love it because it's powerful and sharply beautiful. Truth is beauty.<br />
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<b>Kristan:</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23437156-six-of-crows" target="_blank">SIX OF CROWS</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22299763-crooked-kingdom" target="_blank">CROOKED KINGDOM</a> by Leigh Bardugo<br />
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Darker and even more clever than Bardugo's first trilogy, but set in the same Grisha universe, these two books are about a group of young criminals who take on an impossible heist. In addition to wondering whether or not they would be able to pull off the job -- and if so, HOW -- I also completely fell in love with the characters, particularly Nina, Mattias, and Inej. What a perfect mix of humor and heart, tragedy and triumph.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33830437-far-from-the-tree" target="_blank">FAR FROM THE TREE by Robin Benway</a><br />
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I zipped through this emotional family drama about three siblings adopted into different families. It feels a bit like a show you might watch on ABC Family (now called Freeform), or maybe sort of a YA version of This Is Us. I'm a sucker for stories about family secrets, and I also have a soft spot these days for stories about pregnancy and motherhood; those are just a couple of the many issues that Far From the Tree manages to touch on.<br />
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<b>Ingrid:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkYhCiYgzp-QpOMBqFxRy_w4CvnO7VTOJLACe4ExjIedbClhG0qKa8jnAMfYY1nTRHSlnMeyPIrYcYmitCwtLT4YaUrFwZJ6HXtnKgL_6vbwQcs4rVeixAD9V66DC1T6_iXXeEy4-eQPg/s1600/25614492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkYhCiYgzp-QpOMBqFxRy_w4CvnO7VTOJLACe4ExjIedbClhG0qKa8jnAMfYY1nTRHSlnMeyPIrYcYmitCwtLT4YaUrFwZJ6HXtnKgL_6vbwQcs4rVeixAD9V66DC1T6_iXXeEy4-eQPg/s200/25614492.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfQLeaAX1IfKWj4xubiKz5T3_4yteehvHvSSrwkXbZTlbBDhBPlJqrX5Nz3JWLNiY797j6G6L650INn2AysrqtxcxkLDa-Uz4oKSiT9W2aAUuCBQKMPCPUGUItzIM5_INb8MH-sLD56Av/s1600/25812109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfQLeaAX1IfKWj4xubiKz5T3_4yteehvHvSSrwkXbZTlbBDhBPlJqrX5Nz3JWLNiY797j6G6L650INn2AysrqtxcxkLDa-Uz4oKSiT9W2aAUuCBQKMPCPUGUItzIM5_INb8MH-sLD56Av/s200/25812109.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25614492-salt-to-the-sea?from_search=true" target="_blank">SALT TO THE SEA by Ruta Sepetys </a><br />
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Another amazing read by one of my favorite authors. The story is told in alternating first-person accounts by four refugees whose paths cross in late WWII. They end up on a ship together, fleeing for safety from encroaching Russian forces. Their stories, told with poignancy and lyricism, don't shy away from the brutalities of war and the desperation that causes people to do both the unthinkable and the heroic.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18484793-gem-dixie?from_search=true" target="_blank">GEM AND DIXIE by Sara Zarr</a><br />
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Sara Zarr's latest release centers on two sisters who find their dad's bag of drug money and must decide what to do with it. This book has everything I love--family drama, emotional tension, characters trying to find and accept themselves, an amazing setting (Greater Seattle), and a satisfying but realistic ending. Bravo!<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25812109-the-female-of-the-species?from_search=true" target="_blank">FEMALE OF THE SPECIES by Mindy McGinnis </a><br />
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I dove into this book not really knowing much about it. Well, it was brutal and savage and utterly amazing. Alex Craft is the MC who takes down anyone who hurts the innocent. She calls herself vengeance, and that's pretty fitting. FOTS is not an easy read; it tackles issues like rape, violence, and revenge in an unflinching and complex way. It's an important book, but one that isn't preachy. You can't help but feel everything when lurking inside these pages. <br />
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<b>Stephanie:</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27883214-caraval?from_search=true#" target="_blank">CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber</a><br />
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I am so in love with this world. This book captured my imagination more than any story has in a long time. Every twist and turn caught me by surprise, and I loved not being able to guess what was coming next.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29748925-strange-the-dreamer" target="_blank">STRANGE THE DREAMER by Laini Taylor</a><br />
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I wanted to live in Lazlo’s dreamscape. Laini is so good at merging the strange and the beautiful. And the cultures were so rich and vivid.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10425811-liesl-po?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">LIESL AND PO by Lauren Oliver</a><br />
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So creepy and magical. This explored the foggy space between life and death, and I loved that.<br />
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<b>Book that we are ALL most looking forward to in 2018</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36432939-all-out-of-pretty?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">ALL OUT OF PRETTY by Ingrid Palmer</a><br />
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Dude, one of our own is getting published. Of COURSE we're all on the edge of our seats, eagerly awaiting the day we can get our hands on a copy! We have read AOOP -- many times, many versions -- and every time, we find something new to love.<br />
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<i>Ing, you're so talented, and we're so proud of you. <3</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-60574210092888118562017-12-13T14:58:00.000-05:002017-12-13T14:58:39.076-05:00What we read this fall<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
Autumn passes us by way too fast, and we seem to get less of it every year. Despite the brevity of the season, we still managed to fit some fall reads.
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Here is everything we read in September, October, and November:
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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This month I read <i>Into the Dim</i> by Janet B. Taylor, which involved time travel and the Scottish highlands, and I loved it. Then I finally finished off <i>The School for Good and Evil</i> series with <i>The Last Ever After</i> by Soman Chainani. Then I read <i>Foxheart</i> by Claire Legrand. I actually read two nonfiction books (unusual for me): <i>The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up</i> by Marie Kondō (twice) and <i>The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck</i> by Mark Manson.
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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I'm in the middle of TO STAY ALIVE, a gripping novel in verse about the mid-1800s journey west to California in search of a better life. Specifically, it is a fictionalized account of the infamous Donner party, although the story is told from the point of view of a different family. To be honest, I don't have a particular interest in the subject, but I loved Skila Brown's previous novel in verse, CAMINAR. (And, full disclosure, she and I share an agent.) Halfway through, I've flagged several poems and lines that struck me, and I'm haunted by the hardship these pioneers are enduring. And I haven't even gotten to the cannibalism yet! So far it's just the beauty and brutality of Mother Nature.
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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Oooh, I'm intrigued by the book Kristan is reading. Minus the cannibalism, I've always loved pioneer stories. Hmm, perhaps that's why I ended up migrating west, too! While compiling my own Fall reading list, I realized I'm still listening to a <i>ton</i> of audio books--in fact, almost all of them are from audible :). Over the past few months, I've consumed the following: BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate, EMERALD GREEN: THE RUBY RED SERIES by Kerstin Gier, THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE by Cynthia Hand, UNDER ROSE-TAINTED SKIES by Louise Gornall, and THE ORPHAN'S TALE by Pam Jenoff. I'm currently listening to THE SMELL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock (and loving it!) and am also reading fellow debut 18-er Demetra Brodsky's ARC of DIVE SMACK, which so far is incredibly smart and intense ... I can't wait to find out how it ends!
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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Ooh, THE SMELL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES is one of my picks for the Book-A-Day Advent Calendar that I put together for the school where I teach. Can't wait to read it! At the moment, I'm reading MOXIE by Jennifer Mathieu and THE ODYSSEY translated by Emily Wilson (who is the first woman to do so, by the way) but this autumn I've read THE FIFTH SEASON by NK Jemisin, THE LONELIEST GIRL IN THE UNIVERSE, THUG, NOUGHTS AND CROSSES and A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-18855243792376051052017-09-13T15:26:00.000-04:002017-09-13T22:48:55.449-04:00What we read in August 2017<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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This month I read <i>Caraval</i> by Stephanie Garber, which was amazing!!!! It's my favorite thing that I've read so far this year. I entirely loved it. And then I read <i>Song of the Current</i> by Sarah Tolcser, and I loved that too. It had a great atmosphere. I've also started <i>The Alchemists of Loom</i> by Elise Kova.
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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I'm currently reading about German circus performers during WWII (fascinating!) in <i>The Orphan's Tale</i> by Pam Jenoff. Earlier this month I read <i>The Female of the Species</i> by Mindy McGinnis (haunting and fabulous and un-put-down-able) and <i>When Dimple Met Rishi</i>, which I loved from the first paragraph. Also, bonus: I got to meet Sandhya Menon at a book event in Denver and chat with her about Dimple and all things writing!
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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I'm so jealous of you guys, with all your reading, and especially Ingrid meeting Sandhya Menon! I'm still working my way through Becky Wallace's SKYLIGHTER, the sequel to STORYSPINNER, which I loved. My August was super busy, though, with extended travel, so I'm hopeful and excited to do more reading in September!
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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This month I finished THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, which was so lovely and enjoyable. I would have devoured this book as a pre-teen so get thee to a bookstore, oh young of heart. I also read a couple of addictive contemporaries UNCONVENTIONAL by Maggie Harcourt and WING JONES by Katherine Webber. I'm still meditating on the latter because I've started running. If you don't know me, this is one giant leap for lazy-kind. At present, I am stuck in to THE FIFTH SEASON and bowing down to its genius.
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-8791620718621944052017-08-03T13:53:00.000-04:002017-08-03T13:53:38.613-04:00What we read in July 2017<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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Here's what we've been reading while trying to beat the summer heat!<br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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This month I finished <i>The Star Thief</i> by Lindsey Becker, though most of it got read in June. I LOVED it. I also read <i>The Magic Words</i> by Cheryl Klein, about writing for children and young adults, and it had some good reminders in it. I read <i>Out of the Silent Planet</i> by CS Lewis, which I've been meaning to get to for years, and <i>The Iron Trial</i> by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, and I'm excited to continue the series.
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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This month I've read WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI, A MONSTER CALLS, LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, TRUTH OR DARE, LORD OF SHADOWS and re-read THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST. I have re-read this book more than any other apart from ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. I don't quite understand my compulsion, but some things are best not to be questioned. Now that I think about it, I'm overdue for a re-read of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE...
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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I've been on an audio book kick for a while, mostly because I'm always in the car, and that trend has continued this summer, though I did manage to squeeze in one actual hold-in-your-hands-smell-the-pages book. Ahhhh, heaven! I recently read/listened to:<br />
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GEM AND DIXIE by Sara Zarr-- a moving, emotional story about family and sisterhood by one of my favorite authors; HOW TO START A FIRE AND WHY: A NOVEL by Jesse Ball-- intelligent and raw, the MC's voice reminds me of Holden Caulfield; MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES by Jasmine Warga, who explores a difficult topic with a delicate and authentic hand; ONCE AND FOR ALL by Sarah Dessen--a story about loss and love, delivered in Dessen's solid, heartwarming style.
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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Not quite finished, although I will be soon: I've been reading the sweeping family saga HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi. (Not YA, just FYI.) I don't want to give too much way, so I will just say that I love the structure, which manages to make small, personal stories feel very epic.
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-56064899697134783952017-05-01T13:18:00.001-04:002017-08-04T12:03:01.399-04:00What we read in April 2017<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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This month I read <i>The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle</i> by Janet Fox, which was lovely and creepy. And then I spent most of the month reading <i>Strange the Dreamer</i> by Laini Taylor. I'm about a third of the way through, and I'm in love. The world building, the characters, and the prose are so so gorgeous. I also read two nonfiction books that I won't name, because they were for secret writing research. ;)
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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I finished STRANGE THE DREAMER even though I really tried to pace myself. It is wonderful. Everything you'd want and a bit more that you didn't even know existed in your wanting until suggested by the sorcery of Laini Taylor. Completely absorbing and inspiring.
I'm currently stuck in THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS, which is sharply clever and from page one, paragraph one, charming and beguiling. A MONSTER CALLS and THE NEST are also on the go as I'm reading with student groups. It's good to be me!
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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As predicted last month, this month I read CROOKED KINGDOM by Leigh Bardugo. Whoo, what a ride. Bardugo is impressive as ever with plot, but what really sang in this series were her characters. Such a varied cast, each one deep as the the True Sea. As a reader, I love sinking so completely into a book like I did with this one, and as a writer, I find so much to learn from and be inspired by.
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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This month I read ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS by Bryn Greenwood, which was raw and complex, masterful and controversial. It made my heart ache and my head spin. Greenwood raised some tough questions in this compelling, disturbing story told from conflicting points of view. I still keep thinking about these characters, and probably will for a while. I then jumped into GIRL IN PIECES--another tough yet captivating book about a very sad girl on a long, hard journey to self-acceptance. Finally, I just started listening to the audio version of THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas. I have a feeling it's going to be a heart-wrenching, gut-slugging read as well. Next up: something a bit on the lighter side!
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05285202103014778221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-80534417725549645792017-04-03T15:40:00.000-04:002017-08-04T12:02:50.329-04:00What we read in March 2017<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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It's been a long winter, and we're all happy to be celebrating the beginning of spring. Here are the reads that saw us through the end of the heavy gray season:<br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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This month I finished off my reread of the Harry Potter series, completing <i>Order of the Phoenix</i>, <i>Half-Blood Prince</i>, and <i>Deathly Hallows</i>. I also read <i>The Castle in the Mist</i> by Amy Ephron and <i>Liesl & Po</i> by Lauren Oliver, which was my favorite. Loved the beautiful language and the spookiness and the tender friendships.<br />
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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With a young baby at home, there isn't a lot of time for reading, but I'm trying! Recently I've read a couple memoirs -- WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi, and THE LATE BLOOMER'S REVOLUTION by Amy Cohen -- and before that, I finally got to meet Kaz, Inej, Nina, and the rest of the gang in SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo. Can't wait to spend more time with them in CROOKED KINGDOM.<br />
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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This month, I've been walking around with several books in my ANNA, LOLA, ISLA tote bag that I'm teaching (and reading) to 11-15 year-olds: THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, HOLES, ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY, SKELLIG, THE WEIGHT OF WATER and the play AN INSPECTOR CALLS. All of these were new reads for me and really interesting to experience along with the students. But the just-for-me reads were THE HATE U GIVE, CRONGTON KNIGHTS, WE COME APART and currently falling in deep, deep love with STRANGE THE DREAMER.<br />
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<br />
<b>Ingrid</b><br />
<br />
Well, house renovations have been sucking up a lot of my free time lately, but I've managed to squeeze in a few audio books: IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo, THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay, and EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING by Nicola Yoon. This last one was my favorite because it's a total page-turner, the premise felt fresh and different, and the protagonist was incredibly likable.<br />
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<br />
<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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<b>Fun fact:</b> I designed the original cover for <i>The Sea of Tranquility</i>, before it got picked up by an imprint of Simon & Schuster!<br />
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<br />Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588798330873011415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-27781200719434668062017-01-01T02:20:00.000-05:002017-03-30T22:37:08.199-04:00Our Favorite Reads of 2016<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKeNACxNQQoAs8f0OKxj5O9dS6iBZdKzLJHL_8xxDUL-H0cZmx6m1yLu7te5eBoJJeJKPs8Kr9QbcjfDBIAGWCmY1Gk20OUpBUxRCmBpihjeloQC6OHvj-WtfmhnGRPu1_nLBnnssZrQ/s708/PBing.png" /><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In keeping with our yearly tradition, we took some time to reflect on the books we read during 2016 and picked a few of our faves. These are the books that punched hard, stuck with us, and left us wrecked (in the best possible way). </i>
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<b><br /></b>
<span style="color: red;"><b>KRISTAN</b> </span><br />
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In no particular order...<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE</b> by Heidi Heilig - An #ownvoices debut full of adventure, beauty, and heart.<br />
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<b>THE RAVEN KING </b>by Maggie Stiefvater - An exciting ending to a truly magical series.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>THE COST OF ALL THINGS </b>by Maggie Lehrman - A thoughtful exploration of memory, forgiveness, and consequences.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQd2f2ePWz0uQqitG1Kxd8P9EMN7_lxNGTvkLMLFGen9vp4Wv_xBEofOwKSD-cbFX6cBuW5VHJWjnI1A1WhW52CHGVq2QZfr3k6wXh3EE4BCcp9ABreXsuAE7FaroME5F0CaMsNwbEjJf/s1600/girl+from+everywhere+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQd2f2ePWz0uQqitG1Kxd8P9EMN7_lxNGTvkLMLFGen9vp4Wv_xBEofOwKSD-cbFX6cBuW5VHJWjnI1A1WhW52CHGVq2QZfr3k6wXh3EE4BCcp9ABreXsuAE7FaroME5F0CaMsNwbEjJf/s200/girl+from+everywhere+2.jpeg" width="131" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKT0eyUP__zFLywxrV5xg_cBxaD_MSnjVeNBW1fW7DCgG0jqKrZmI0MmEGyTnKV-643HwjwriijZad2NWSW_5lzpY7ZehyphenhyphenI8X0d-l4WmoDq-iVMPGzPKpzAVZ-lLFJVkca795xyqG0Eq4/s1600/RK.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKT0eyUP__zFLywxrV5xg_cBxaD_MSnjVeNBW1fW7DCgG0jqKrZmI0MmEGyTnKV-643HwjwriijZad2NWSW_5lzpY7ZehyphenhyphenI8X0d-l4WmoDq-iVMPGzPKpzAVZ-lLFJVkca795xyqG0Eq4/s200/RK.jpeg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDi9Tcsywi6qI1VTZKD9Lnjp0ZP6fK4fzbxOGe2rKcJhGbUiJVyLQBohPlYeUeiPeKAAF6jiyO-6C-ix-7l8ygGQjklBjd3aQNnu3YAez5GS7iXtpoDc72snzYUq2AnZaQhVO1IycXK0y/s1600/BookCoverTheCostofAllThings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDi9Tcsywi6qI1VTZKD9Lnjp0ZP6fK4fzbxOGe2rKcJhGbUiJVyLQBohPlYeUeiPeKAAF6jiyO-6C-ix-7l8ygGQjklBjd3aQNnu3YAez5GS7iXtpoDc72snzYUq2AnZaQhVO1IycXK0y/s200/BookCoverTheCostofAllThings.jpg" width="131" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">SARAH</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. <b>AND I DARKEN</b> by Kiersten White is my top pick this year. Clever, beautiful language, characters to root for, killer world-building. I wish I'd written it!<br />
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2. <b>AMONG OTHERS</b> by Jo Walton. I'm not familiar with many of the Sci-Fi author references, but this whole book feels like a secret. This Book! I tell you...this book.<br />
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3. <b>A COURT OF MIST AND FURY</b> by Sarah J. Maas. I'm not one to follow the (popular) crowd, but this one made me feeeeeel so much. Addicting, sweeping, fun. Can't go wrong.<br />
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Honourable mentions (because reasons): <b>ARCHIVIST WASP</b> by Nicole Kornher-Stace is unforgettable. I still think of this story all the time. It's in my bones. <b>INFANDOUS</b> by Elana K. Arnold was the first book I read this year and not many have topped it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir69zPelCAcDSMrQXXC8MSor6s-2wUkjNLmdOYdHcdcLM2qSJ-XixPnliAvz6_UWbV88rOfrPI8_qTfrwfkHeUWtman_C8hgij86tnkrWWHVUbsnvlwORBrIuFUA2aonpjlMyf4zjZz4Qz/s1600/court+of+mist.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir69zPelCAcDSMrQXXC8MSor6s-2wUkjNLmdOYdHcdcLM2qSJ-XixPnliAvz6_UWbV88rOfrPI8_qTfrwfkHeUWtman_C8hgij86tnkrWWHVUbsnvlwORBrIuFUA2aonpjlMyf4zjZz4Qz/s200/court+of+mist.jpeg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cnNqSSnsyWHd6QIbWBFuNjV5rBSYMNqJqtMfqSEX3SeK9K-2W3aVg6IsSbK663UKDLvsOYnvDEtj8RCrzeUA5TuHbpL2VZtK7nedo0ANQFYDoMEUxUzOFqkpsia5XPkl14ywQ6dlyBaX/s1600/and+i+darken.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cnNqSSnsyWHd6QIbWBFuNjV5rBSYMNqJqtMfqSEX3SeK9K-2W3aVg6IsSbK663UKDLvsOYnvDEtj8RCrzeUA5TuHbpL2VZtK7nedo0ANQFYDoMEUxUzOFqkpsia5XPkl14ywQ6dlyBaX/s200/and+i+darken.jpeg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TVOw5P7cwj7KU8y_4nubdiZF-DG3smy0T4c-akQpkJs24FemcJU90wAhN7SxbiZRR66985pQ_NOxJrnnFHLk71ZbF28cQEx49EkdijLu0yTF_kB9teYpbSKyDI-p-MbqVKKaPtmdIVan/s1600/among+others.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TVOw5P7cwj7KU8y_4nubdiZF-DG3smy0T4c-akQpkJs24FemcJU90wAhN7SxbiZRR66985pQ_NOxJrnnFHLk71ZbF28cQEx49EkdijLu0yTF_kB9teYpbSKyDI-p-MbqVKKaPtmdIVan/s200/among+others.jpeg" width="127" /></a>
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<b><span style="color: red;">INGRID</span></b><br />
<br />
1. <b>I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN</b> by Jandy Nelson - These characters! Oh, these tortured characters. Every last one is seared into my heart. Guh!<br />
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2. <b>STORY OF A GIRL</b> by Sara Zarr - I've never wanted to rescue a character so badly until I met Deanna. The tension between her and her dad... Just. Heartbreaking.<br />
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3. <b>FANGIRL</b> by Rainbow Rowell - Such a great, realistic love story between two extremely likable characters. Took me right back to my college days. This book has so much brilliance packed into it. Love, love it.<br />
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A few others I reeeaally liked: <b>THE TYRANT'S DAUGHTER</b> by J.C. Carleson, <b>THE GRAVEYARD BOOK</b> by Neil Gaiman, <b>WHEN WE COLLIDED</b> by Emery Lord and <b>ON THE FENCE </b>by Kasie West.<br />
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<i><br /></i>
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>STEPHANIE</b> </span><br />
<b><br /></b><b>THE SEARCH FOR WONDLA</b> by Tony DiTerlizzi - Beautiful Middle Grade Science Fiction with great friendships and rich world building. Can't wait to read the other books!<br />
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<b>THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL </b>by Soman Chainani - I loved how this book explored the gray areas between good and evil, loved the friendships that formed, and how it incorporated classic fairytales into the story.<br />
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<b>CRESS </b>by Marissa Meyer - I read the entire series this year, but this book was my favorite, Cress was definitely my favorite character.<br />
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Also loved <b>THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING</b> by Erika Johansen, <b>THE SHADOWS</b> by Jacqueline West, <b>NIGHTBIRD</b> by Alice Hoffman, <b>THE NETHERGRIM</b> by Matthew Jobin, and <b>THE MARTIAN</b> by Andy Weir.<br />
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<i>That's it for us! What books did you love this year? </i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>Ingrid Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04364524474913363888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-87795250258430653302016-07-14T14:38:00.000-04:002016-07-20T11:23:42.705-04:00What we read in June<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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<br />
<b>Stephanie
</b><br />
<br />
This month, I read <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21793182-starflight">Starflight</a></i> by Melissa Landers, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21979832-the-girl-from-everywhere">The Girl from Everywhere</a></i> by Heidi Heilig, and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206828-cress">Cress</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206900-winter">Winter</a></i> by Marissa Meyer. My favorite was <i>Cress</i>, and <i>Starflight</i> was a close second. <i>Cress</i> reminded me a little of Disney's version of Rapunzel in <i>Tangled</i>, and I love how her story was incorporated into this world.<br />
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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UMMMMMMM. I read this great book called "Baby's First Library, ABC" like ninety billion times. Does that mean it's my favorite by default? :P<br />
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(Note of explanation: I'm solo babysitting my 19 month old niece for almost 2 weeks.)<br />
<br />
For a more grown-up answer, haha, the truth is that I'm slowly making my way through <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22999153-the-cost-of-all-things">THE COST OF ALL THINGS</a> by Maggie Lehrman, and I'm loving it. (Slow because of aforementioned niece, not because of the book at all.) Really great character work, and a fun, messy premise about magic and wishes and the price we pay for getting what we think we want.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Ingrid</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
June was a crazy-busy month for me, but I somehow managed to read two and a half books! (Primarily because two of them were audiobooks that I could absorb while driving children to various daily activities :) The first book was a re-read of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51738.Just_Listen">JUST LISTEN</a>. I am a huge Sarah Dessen fan, and this is one of my SD faves. I also listened to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/969566.In_Between">IN BETWEEN</a> by Jenny B. Jones. This story was delightful--full of humor and tender family moments. And Katie Parker, the sweet, spunky protagonist of this novel, stole my heart on page one. Currently, I am halfway through <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20734002-the-weight-of-feathers">THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS</a> by Anna-Marie McLemore. So far, I love her lyrical writing and the unique setting/storyline. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Sarah</b></div>
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This month I read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27774758-an-ember-in-the-ashes">AN EMBER IN THE ASHES</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23524610-one">ONE</a> by Sarah Crossan, which has (deservingly) already won two big awards this year. I absolutely adore novels in verse, and while ONE is brilliant, I'm still hung up on her earlier work <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228534.The_Weight_of_Water">THE WEIGHT OF WATER</a>. That book! Anyway, at the moment I'm in the middle of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27190613-and-i-darken">AND I DARKEN</a> and whew, man, you want this. Kiersten White's storytelling has grown with each book I've read and I do believe she's found her sweet spot.<br />
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Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588798330873011415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-56118882235163864452016-06-30T07:30:00.000-04:002016-07-11T10:19:18.238-04:002 Years of YADBC! Let's All Read Diversely<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s1600/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s200/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" /></a>Two years ago, a group of book bloggers got together with a simple, powerful mission:<br />
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<b>Mindfully seek out diverse YA literature to read, discuss, and highlight.</b><br />
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We named ourselves the YA Diversity Book Club -- simple and straightforward -- and we've had such a great time finding new books to chat about each month.<br />
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To celebrate our 2-year anniversary, we would like to encourage others to read diversely too. So we're doing a 3-book giveaway, of forthcoming books from authors whose work we have featured and enjoyed in the past. We each chose one of the books personally. Here's mine -- the sequel to AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, which captivated me:<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25558608-a-torch-against-the-night?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1463675717l/25558608.jpg" width="212" /></a> <b><i>A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead.</i></b><br />
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To learn more about the other books in the giveaway, please visit <a href="https://wp.me/p4QSjF-6P6" target="_blank">The Reading Date</a> and <a href="http://teenlitrocks.com/2016/06/30/ya-diversity-book-club-anniversary-giveaway/" target="_blank">Teen Lit Rocks</a>!<br />
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To enter the giveaway, see below:<br />
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<i>Enter to win three YA Fall 2016 preorder books</i></div>
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<i>Prizes provided by the YADBC</i></div>
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<i>Giveaway open to US residents age 13 and up</i></div>
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<i>Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter</i></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="46c5011a97" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/46c5011a97/" id="rcwidget_6denud9r" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div>
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Now the YADBC will be taking a summer hiatus, but you can always check out the past 2 years of <a href="http://yadiversitybookclub.tumblr.com/">YA Diversity Book Club posts</a> on Tumblr!<br />
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<i>On a personal note: I will be taking a step back from YADBC, due to <a href="http://kristanhoffman.com/2016/06/20/promise/" target="_blank">a big responsibility coming in a little package this November</a>. I will forever and always read diversely, though! I hope you will too.</i>
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<i><br /></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-54168448145626260112016-06-23T14:24:00.000-04:002016-06-29T21:41:35.485-04:00Summer Memories<br />
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The first official day of summer is just right around the corner, and depending on where you live, the hot sun is already turning your shoulders red. There's something extra magical about reading during the summer. It's the time of library reading lists and having crushes at summer camp, of graduations and new beginnings, of vacations and hanging out on the beach with a good book. Here are a few stories that captured us and still remind us of a summer in our lives:<br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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<img align="left" height="300" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1310265782l/214438.jpg" width="auto" />One of my favorite memories of reading during the summer was when I graduated from high school. As a graduation present, my aunt invited me to come stay with her in Arizona for a month. It was the first time I'd been away from home for more than a week. On the weekends, we camped, went to outdoor markets, and hiked in national parks. During the week, my aunt worked, and I had her condo to myself. I would spend the entire day reading and writing, and it was magnificent. The book that stood out to me most, that always takes me back to that summer when I think about it, was The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It's about growing up and discovering yourself and traveling, and that's exactly what I was doing. <br />
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
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Between my junior and senior years of college, I spent a summer abroad in Madrid, Spain. There were a million magical things about those 8 weeks -- the classes, the beaches, the history, the buildings, the markets, the trains -- but one of my favorite things was actually just sitting in the gardens outside the Palacio Real and reading my homework assignments. Novels completely in Spanish. I had to keep a Spanish-English dictionary with me to look up unfamiliar words. I was being immersed in a culture, and a body of literature, that were foreign to me. I was, as Stephanie said, growing up and discovering myself and traveling.<br />
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327867269l/10210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align-="" border="0" height="300" right="" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327867269l/10210.jpg" width="auto" /></a><br />
Being the type to have summer camp crushes, let's talk (gothic) Romance. Confession: I didn't read JANE EYRE until two months shy of seventeen. Don't get me wrong, up to that point I'd read all of Austen, most of Dickens, every drop of Shakespeare (apart from the "histories.") British classics were my jam. But never had a Bronte brushed across the wild moors of my adolescent mind. And it was a blind accident that I plucked this one from a friend's shelf on my way to my brother's wedding.<br />
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The long and short of it is that my brother was getting married to my best friend (yeah that was a thing that happened.) It was an outdoor ceremony and they'd arranged everything themselves. The evening before, it was my job to keep watch over the stacks of chairs delivered by the rental company. We were in a public park so anyone could come along and steal some chairs or make chair art or knock the stacks over like chair-jenga. The chairs were in serious danger, okay? I climbed to the top, took a Bronte with me, and was transported. to. misery. Sweet, haunted, repressed, mist-strewn misery. I was utterly ruined by this book. Of course, I only got to chapter thirteen before the stack of chairs had to come down. So I read one-handed while unfolding white wedding chairs in neat rows of ten (that's a lie, I can't remember how many chairs were in each row. I was distracted by delicious scandal and Yorkshire landscapes.) As it happens, I finished the book that night and took Jane and Rochester with me the next day as I brides-maided my way around the (gorgeous) wedding. And wondered if I'd ever be anybody's first wife.<br />
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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<img align="left" height="300" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350411656l/16065521.jpg" width="auto" />The first book that pops into my mind is WILD AWAKE by Hilary T. Smith. I read it a few summers ago while on a camping trip (and blogged about it <a href="http://www.weheartya.com/2013/07/book-hugging.html">here</a>.). Though the story has its share of tough issues, the lyrical writing and "wild child" storyline definitely stirred up those good-time summer feelings. Long bike rides, young love, music and mayhem... what's not to love? Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588798330873011415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-27166115283921303572016-06-01T14:04:00.004-04:002016-06-01T14:04:58.204-04:00Our May Reads!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnP1nfxLNdPiTFGbP1BHlgzF4mkiZQIdJdiZ-D_NdeaS1pjEWsCjkbLRZQtNgkZGDSXZtrp2gkbJjkYoEqYSqIk68ZE3_kq8z6VfsDTAB7nKYpDXPw0EmbhGNh5okjPrYxB4VAW6x_pY/s708/PBsteph.png" /><br />
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<b>Stephanie</b><br />
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Lately I've been catching up on books that I've been meaning to read for a long time (years in some cases). In May, I read <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206760-scarlet">Scarlet</a></i> by Marissa Meyer, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17347389-the-dream-thieves">The Dream Thieves</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378508-blue-lily-lily-blue">Blue Lily, Lily Blue</a></i> by Maggie Stiefvater, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14061957-ruin-and-rising">Ruin and Rising</a></i> by Leigh Bardugo, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17350491-rooftoppers">Rooftoppers</a></i> by Katherine Rundell, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15745753-eleanor-park">Eleanor & Park</a></i> by Rainbow Rowell. I think my favorite was <i>Ruin and Rising</i>. I've been working on that series for such a long time, I can't believe it's over.<br />
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<b>Ingrid</b><br />
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For the past couple of months I've been reading outside my normal genre of contemporary YA. I've read a few memoirs (<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24001084-we-were-brothers">We Were Brothers</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21469077-a-list-of-things-that-didn-t-kill-me">A List of Things That Didn't Kill Me</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/297843.Tweaked">Tweaked</a></i>), a light fantasy (<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22910900-the-rest-of-us-just-live-here">The Rest of Us Just Live Here</a></i> by Patrick Ness), and I'm almost finished listening to the audio version of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2213661.The_Graveyard_Book">The Graveyard Book</a></i>, read by Neil Gaiman himself. My hands-down favorite is <i>The Graveyard Book</i>-- such a great escape into the world of the dead. Plus, Gaiman's voice--both figurative and literal--is riveting.<br />
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<b>Kristan</b><br />
Wow, Ingrid is reading up a storm!! I'm kind of jealous, haha.<br />
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Unfortunately I don't have as many books to choose from, but even if I did, I think my answers would stay the same. My favorite recent read has been <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378527-the-raven-king">THE RAVEN KING</a> by Maggie Stiefvater, the emotional conclusion to her <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/73675-the-raven-cycle">Raven Boys series</a>. It wasn't perfect, but I still loved the book and the series dearly and deeply.<br />
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I'm also slowly working my way through <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143977-all-the-light-we-cannot-see">ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE</a> by Anthony Doerr, which is just a really special novel told in very brief chapters that are almost like prose poem vignettes or something.<br />
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<b>Sarah</b><br />
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In May, I read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9789800-my-sister-lives-on-the-mantelpiece">MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20443235-the-winner-s-kiss">THE WINNER'S KISS</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378527-the-raven-king">THE RAVEN KING</a>!!!!!!!!!, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7818683-five-flavors-of-dumb">FIVE FLAVOURS OF DUMB</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17927395-a-court-of-mist-and-fury">A COURT OF MIST AND FURY</a>, and re-read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses">A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES</a> straight after. I keep starting and stopping books like <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18049084-noggin">NOGGIN</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28356624-carry-on">CARRY ON</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20983362-passenger">PASSENGER</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18516113-nightbird">NIGHTBIRD</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25938399-counting-thyme">COUNTING THYME</a> so I'll give them another go next month because the writing is fantastic. I just haven't been in the mood for one reason or another. I am so hung up on romantic fantasy. Perfect example is my current re-read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21936988-the-sin-eater-s-daughter">THE SIN-EATER'S DAUGHTER</a>. Really clever story, decent world-building and characters you don't mind spending time with. Need the sequel!<br />
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Stephanie Mooneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588798330873011415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-62727666917900526732016-05-26T07:00:00.000-04:002016-05-26T10:12:03.186-04:00#YADBC discusses THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN by Roshani Chokshi<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25203675-the-star-touched-queen?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Star-Touched Queen" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1446058438l/25203675.jpg" width="210" /></a>This month's YA Diversity Book Club selection is filled with magic and mythology. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25203675-the-star-touched-queen?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" target="_blank">THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN by Roshani Chokshi</a> is about a young woman whisked to a mysterious kingdom, where she might fall in love, discover incredible power latent inside herself, and change people's fates... or she could lose everything and everyone she has ever cared about.<br />
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As you can imagine, this was rich ground for our group discussion.<br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. What were your first impressions of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Star-Touched Queen</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-4c712853-e98e-691d-51c5-ab27c1723722" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve read tons of stories derived from Greek myths, but none like this. I really enjoyed the fusion with Indian culture.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Magical, poetic, unique. And on a shallow note the cover is to die for!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Incredibly original with beautiful lyrical language and interesting take on Indian folklore and Greek mythology.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. What first appealed to you about the story -- the Indian folklore, the mythology, the setting, the romance? And how did the story line up with expectations? </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t love Greek mythology-based YA generally, but what really got my attention is the Indian folklore spin. The story lined up with expectations and the prose was mesmerizing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think what captivated me at first was that I couldn't remember reading anything else like it. It wasn't straightforward; it took effort to read, and I liked that I had to work at it (particularly visualizing some of the more fantastical elements) if that makes sense.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It does make sense! Sometimes readers want easy fluff, sometimes we like to exercise our minds. :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be honest, I didn’t know much about the book going in. I was just familiar with Chokshi through social media and one of her short stories, so I was excited to read a YA novel by her.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. The author has stated that Maya and Amar were inspired by Hades/Persephone. Were you familiar with those mythical characters and how did that influence your reading experience?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, the story of Hades and Persephone was one of my favorites as a kid, so I am definitely familiar with them and got that vibe from Maya and Amar pretty quickly. But again, I liked how this wasn’t a straight retelling, and the Indian influence really took the characters in unexpected directions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That is cool that you picked up on Hades/Persephone right away. I did not get it until I read an author Q&A, so I guess you can enjoy the book on different levels depending on your Greek mythology knowledge. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I definitely picked up on the Hades/Persephone references (which are hot right now, especially if you're familiar with Sarah Maas), but it was the Indian folklore that I found fascinating, as I'm only passingly familiar.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeah, and I’d love to learn even more about the source material for the Indian folklore. I think it would give me an even greater appreciation for the way Chokshi “remixed” it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Any characters or scenes particularly stand out to you in a good or bad way?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, I ended up really liking Kamala, hahaha!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haha yes Kamala was a surprise! Such a fun sidekick. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also thought it was really interesting -- and nice -- that a couple of the key relationships were more about sisterhood and friendship. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Were any particular passages or bits of dialogue meaningful to you? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be honest, the writing was SO rich, that most of it didn’t get the chance to stand out… The single most vivid image in my mind is probably Maya’s memory tree, the first time we see it. I loved that.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The memory tree is a good one. And I can see what you mean about the lush writing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, the memory tree part was so vivid. I also enjoyed the first time she enters the kingdom. In addition to Persephone and Hades, it felt a bit like Beauty & The Beast.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The writing was so dreamy and descriptive that I would just get lost in it. I didn’t note any particular passages though appreciated the style.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has been a while since I read it, but I found some of the descriptions of love and desire really compelling and beautiful -- not the typical "insert steamy scene here" type of romance. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. What did you think of the world building and time jumps? Was it easy to keep track of it all?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thought the time jump was fine, and I’m a fan of reincarnation as a concept, so I liked the idea of the memory trees and past lives. But I wasn’t always clear on what was real versus what was an illusion, nor on how exactly the magic of this story worked.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, exactly, it was hard to keep track of reality. I didn’t always manage to, but I enjoyed the ride anyway. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That's what I meant earlier when I said I had to work harder than usual. I'm a fast reader, but this wasn't a book where I could just retain everything with a quick read, so it forced me to slow down and even re-read in places. It's not that the story is necessarily hard to follow, just that it's so lushly written you can get carried away by the poetic language and lose track of the plot threads.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7. Did this novel broaden your perspective in some way?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm really curious about other YA books that have been inspired by Indian folklore. Most Indian-themed books I've read are about contemporary India or Indian-American families, not the folklore or mythology. I'd be interested to read more.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, it piqued my curiosity too. Why did we only learn about Greek mythology in school? Do they teach other cultures’ mythology now too??</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8. What other books would you recommend readers to seek out if they want to read </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more diverse fantasy or mythology?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OK this isn’t really diverse mythology (I’ll think on that in a sec) but if readers like this, then I HIGHLY recommend </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Night Circus </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Erin Morgenstern. I mean, I recommend that book anyway, lol, but some of Maya’s explorations of Akaran -- the mirror rooms and dream worlds -- reminded me of all the different magical tents in Morgenstern’s circus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve been meaning to check out </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Night Circus</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When I was poking around Chokshi’s website, she mentioned it was one of her fave books! So it makes even more sense that I would think of it.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I don’t read a lot of fantasy but I was thinking maybe TSTQ would appeal to fans of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daughter of Smoke and Bone</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> LOL that’s another one she mentions as a fave!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes to all this. Having just read CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber, I also recommend that when it comes out (and I believe the authors are friends and fellow debut year "classmates"). And I'd also recommend THE WRATH AND THE DAWN for loose retellings and stories about betrothals that don't go as you expect them to (plus there's also stories within stories in that)!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Oh, it’s not YA or fiction, but fans of this book might also enjoy </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Woman Warrior </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Maxine Hong Kingston. The writing style is similarly poetic and dense, and it explores the author’s life and Chinese heritage, woven with mythology and family lore.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I haven't read that book since high school (and I'm way older than you), but yes, I agree!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9. Do you picture TSTQ translating well to film? Who would you cast in the lead roles?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, I think it could be a really stunning, lush film -- along the lines of What Dreams May Come, or the new Alice in Wonderland series. Very fantastical and visually impressive.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> To be honest, not really, because it would have to be an expensive movie filled with CGI effects and huge set pieces. It's so atmospheric you couldn't just phone it in.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Very true. No idea who I would cast… Unfortunately I am not well versed in Indian actors, but I’m sure there are plenty of talented young Indian Americans, or Bollywood stars looking to break into this market! </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I pictured a younger Parminder Nagra, but that's probably because I think she was so plucky and could be so fierce in a way that belied her gentle looks.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reading Date:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The author has some dream cast suggestions in this Q&A: </span><a href="http://www.readingteen.net/2016/04/the-star-touched-queen-excerpt-and-q.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.readingteen.net/2016/04/the-star-touched-queen-excerpt-and-q.html</span></a></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10. Anything else you’d like to add?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Heart YA:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think there is a second novel set in this world (but starring different characters -- maybe Gauri??!) coming out next year, but in the meantime, if anyone wants to read more by Roshani Chokshi, she has had several short works published, including one that I really enjoyed called “The Star Maiden.” You can find links here: </span><a href="http://www.roshanichokshi.com/writing/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.roshanichokshi.com/writing/</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teen Lit Rocks:</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks for the tip, Kristan! I haven't read anything else by her but know she's a favorite debut author by several writers I know through We Need Diverse Books. I look forward to her next book.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s1600/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s200/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" /></a>For more on THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN, check out:<br />
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• <a href="http://wp.me/p2UFqp-257" target="_blank">Q&A with author Roshani Chokshi</a> at Teen Lit Rocks<br />
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• <a href="https://wp.me/p4QSjF-6MT" target="_blank">"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The Star-Touched Queen Audiobook"</a> at The Reading Date<br />
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The <a href="http://yadiversitybookclub.tumblr.com/">entire YA Diversity Book Club archives</a> can now be found on Tumblr.<br />
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Next month we're celebrating our book club's 2-year anniversary!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-38411116215550094592016-04-28T07:00:00.000-04:002016-05-25T12:37:03.916-04:00#YADBC chats with FIFTEEN LANES author S.J.Laidlaw<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbGwaWrL4HNArg878wMIVA7_GCwiAutHLPp546QCbwowf31JUXXa-tVi3ax-hm5SzRWAQTMq4veQmVAT9rtI2ZURRUov71za_DoqVUhiPhv-pj2m9GkUOzSsEhHHHySrj5rqmcbA2-XWs/s1600/SJLaidlaw+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbGwaWrL4HNArg878wMIVA7_GCwiAutHLPp546QCbwowf31JUXXa-tVi3ax-hm5SzRWAQTMq4veQmVAT9rtI2ZURRUov71za_DoqVUhiPhv-pj2m9GkUOzSsEhHHHySrj5rqmcbA2-XWs/s320/SJLaidlaw+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a>It is always a pleasure to read and spotlight teen lit that features underrepresented or marginalized characters -- after all, that's the mission of YA Diversity Book Club -- but it is a particularly special honor to have S.J. Laidlaw, author of our April pick <i>Fifteen Lanes</i>, here to talk about some of her incredible life experiences and how they inspired her latest novel.<br />
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<b><i>Please describe your book in a sentence or two. </i></b><br />
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<b><i></i></b>Set in Mumbai, <i>Fifteen Lanes</i> is the story of an impoverished sex worker’s daughter on the brink of being trafficked and a privileged but socially shunned Western girl, whose lives intertwine in a triumph of empathy over ignorance.
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<b><i>What was your inspiration for writing this book? </i></b>
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I spent over two years volunteering at NGOs that worked to prevent second generation trafficking in Mumbai, India. And I’ve spent many years counseling depressed teenagers clinically and in international schools.
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One of the things that really surprised me about working with girls in the red-light district of Mumbai was how strong they were compared to many of the wealthy expat kids I’ve worked with. These brothel-raised girls are exposed to soul-destroying horrors and humiliations but somehow most of them rise above it. One thing is that they don’t consider themselves victims and definitely don’t want to be seen as such. I was constantly in awe of their resilience and determination. It was a story I had to tell.<br />
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<b><i>What kind of research did you have to do to make sure your characters were authentic? </i></b>
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I’ve worked as a counselor in international schools and clinical settings for a long time, so that part of the research was already done, though I did interview the principal of the international school in Mumbai to discuss some of the cultural nuances I wanted to capture, for example attitudes toward homosexuality among her wealthy Indian students.
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I spent more than two years volunteering at a night shelter in Kamathipura, the largest red-light district in Asia. I also tutored daughters of sex workers in my home and visited many organizations that provided support for the children of sex workers, including rescue homes and homes for HIV-infected children.
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In addition, I attended a countrywide conference on sex trafficking in India and edited a national report on sex trafficking for Dasra, one of India’s largest strategic philanthropy organizations. The latter forced me to read extensively on sex trafficking so I could understand how the industry functioned.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4iWJ0J17rlUZqQJ0zvBnw5kq8xOmjRklO0OHdLYvEes4rgsRA2xZIIKvZJfYvED2ubjoB9zQsUQkNG_-vrpzeZT2skMD6r9o3Gjj0trOTpOY6HECNfs0mQHx0a4Im1JxT_-_eYpnJ4fQ/s1600/25893705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4iWJ0J17rlUZqQJ0zvBnw5kq8xOmjRklO0OHdLYvEes4rgsRA2xZIIKvZJfYvED2ubjoB9zQsUQkNG_-vrpzeZT2skMD6r9o3Gjj0trOTpOY6HECNfs0mQHx0a4Im1JxT_-_eYpnJ4fQ/s320/25893705.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<b><i>How did you come to incorporate the diverse elements in your book? </i></b><br />
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<b><i></i></b>The story is told in the alternating first-person voices of an Indian brothel-raised girl and a Western girl, both of whom experience sexual violence. I also included a gay Indian boy, who’s struggling to come out to his family and friends. I wanted to include him for the many Asian boys I’ve counseled who’ve struggled with this. As hard as it is to be gay in Western culture, it’s even harder in most Asian cultures, including India.
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<b><i>How does the diversity in your book relate to your life? </i></b><br />
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<b><i></i></b>I left Canada when I was 21 years old to teach in a remote village in Africa. I spent close to three years in Africa. Often I was the only white person that people had ever seen. Some children in my village would run from me screaming. Others would stand at my window and watch me for hours, like I was a zoo animal. Most of the time I just read, or planned lessons, or marked papers, so I was the most boring zoo animal on the planet. But I learned what it felt like to be judged by my skin color. I also learned that a color is just that, nothing more. Even culture is an artifice to some extent. There are differences but they’re insignificant compared to the commonalities we all share that transcend culture.<br />
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Since that early beginning, I’ve continued to live and work overseas, mostly in the developing world. My students and counseling clients have always been racially, culturally and religiously diverse. Many are non-white and either Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu. Where I live, white kids are the minority.
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When I do author visits now, I’m typically speaking to mostly, if not entirely, non-Western kids because I live in Asia and I speak to local as well as international school groups. I don’t know if I’d even be capable of writing a story about entirely mono-cultural kids. That hasn’t been my life experience for more than twenty-five years.
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<b><i>What are some of your favorite YA books about diverse characters?</i></b><br />
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I hate to choose favorites partly because I have a lot of author friends and I wouldn’t want to leave anyone off the list but also because I read voraciously and usually my favorite is the last book I’ve read. Today it’s <i>Golden Boy</i> by Tara Sullivan, which I finished reading yesterday! I’m also uniquely proud of the Gilded series, by Christina Farley, which draws on her years working in Korea. Christina and I have been critique partners for years.<br />
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I could read you some of the titles on my bookshelf that are staring at me as I answer these questions: <i>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, Lost Girl Found, Sold, I Am Taxi, Chanda’s Secrets, Copper Sun, When Everything Feels Like the Movies, Pigeon English, My Name is Parvana, Does My Head Look Big in This, Half of a Yellow Sun, Monster, I am Malala, The Alchemist</i> and a bunch of adult books, many of which also feature diverse characters.
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When I go into a bookstore I always scan the shelves for books set in foreign countries, with diverse characters, but truthfully I’m not sure I’m consciously thinking about promoting or supporting diversity. Those are just the books that interest me.
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I enjoy books that help me to understand the world and different perspectives. I also look for books that resonate with me and because my life has been lived mostly in foreign lands, that results in choosing multicultural books. When I read <i>Golden Boy</i> I was transported back to my African home. I remembered the Albino boy in my village who the other children threw rocks at. I remember the hunted look in his eyes and our moment of kinship when I picked up a stick to chase off his tormentors.
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<b><i>What areas of diversity do you want to draw attention to or do you feel are underrepresented in books?</i></b>
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Personally, I’m interested in the lives of kids in the developing world who are marginalized through poverty, as well as ethnicity, gender or caste. I want to give a voice to children who have no voice. Someday I hope that they will have the education and freedom to tell their own stories but until that happens, I want to help bring their stories to light.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s1600/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s200/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" /></a>For more on FIFTEEN LANES, check out:
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• <a href="http://www.teenlitrocks.com/" target="_blank">Our group discussion</a> at Teen Lit Rocks<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://wp.me/p4QSjF-6KH" target="_blank">"Human Trafficking: Further Reading (and Fifteen Lanes book giveaway)"</a> at The Reading Date
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<br />
The <a href="http://yadiversitybookclub.tumblr.com/">entire YA Diversity Book Club archives</a> can now be found on Tumblr, along with information about our <a href="http://yadiversitybookclub.tumblr.com/upcoming">upcoming book selections</a>.
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<br />
Next month we're reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25203675-the-star-touched-queen" target="_blank">THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN by Roshani Chokshi</a>. Join us!
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7570782455185394721.post-48180942105627559372016-03-28T07:00:00.000-04:002016-03-28T07:00:10.202-04:00#YADBC: Las Vegas IN REAL LIFE<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbqLOgl9yA1Ikrl1B0YCQypyZcwctnfOMz12_KZJKOto3ioyPRNFakCoZZdfOrNYqNLgsdrjsr96VOW1YTwKjGhyge1_K1ewdtJgWSq9bLG9Q2JbGlMJzb5qL0IxbHvThL-CebVrDLfQ/s708/PBkristan.png" /><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21525995-in-real-life" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFptxTSHi9o98Ns-RGRPzsWB4bf-dNQRbGV9ggWrIOPtGI6IEXO0n2P49X1dHb4-tCdW-mqty1KWIcPvHqVWfwJDieJ4Tyn8_93AnN1Ok-8RvH-4R1OONmZJftoUUH-HlxK39ityE1oHZ/s320/InRealLife1.jpg" width="216" /></a>With spring in the air, it seems fitting that our YA Diversity Book Club choice for March was a light-hearted rom-com. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21525995-in-real-life" target="_blank">IN REAL LIFE by Jessica Love</a> tells the story of Hannah Cho and Nick Cooper, two teens who have been best friends for years, even though they've never met.
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Facing the prospect a slow, dull Spring Break, Hannah impulsively decides to drive to Vegas to see Nick. (Don't worry, she brings her big sister and best friend along.) But when she gets there, she learns that Nick hasn't been completely truthful with her -- about his band, his friends, or himself.<br />
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Hannah and Nick have excellent chemistry, both as friends and as maybe more. But outside of their tingle-inducing moments, my favorite aspect of the novel was something I didn't expect at all: the setting!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kristan/4134328453/in/photolist-7ikvP4-7imziR-7iqxu7-7iryZw-7iqNB9-7irtru-7imJN8-7ikZCD-7iqpBq-7imDKx-7iqKa5-7imxsP-7iqHtG-7ink3K-7iqekw-7irjZY-7iqyEj-7inzwr-7inGDK-7inA1P-7inBmF-7inwcP-7imAet-7ipuwq-7iqTVQ-7ipT8m-7inypz-7imwQv-7inFgg-7irdEN-7iqvTf-7iqGTG-7inDBx-7inxGg-7ipDAw-7ino1P-7inhox-7ir9bj-7inqNg-7iqmmC-7irkEE-7imj2D-7iqsV7-7iq289-7imw3H-7imRQZ-7inwW8-7inooz-7imAVx-7iniPc" title="Vegas misc 001"><img alt="Vegas misc 001" height="300" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2647/4134328453_09d440bce6.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Even though my parents are not gamblers, they love Vegas, so I've been many times throughout my life. I think author Jessica Love does a really nice job describing and making use of the unusual locale. (Unusual meaning we don't see it too much in YA lit.) She captures the energy and eclectic-ness of the Strip. She spotlights a few key landmarks and attractions, like the Eiffel Tower and the rollercoaster. And she also points out that this flashy Vegas is not the home of locals like Nick; it's the party spot, the tourist trap, the postcard. Nothing wrong with that. It's just an important note.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kristan/4134601903/in/photolist-7ipsfU-7imV6H-7iqn8b-7imTkt-7inyVi-7iqFrJ-7intTt-7iqjUS-7iqLW7-7ipGpw-7ikNZe-7iq9MW-7iqzjL-7iqoPQ-7imrrB-7iqnWU-7irpMd-7iqN4s-7iqbUw-7irB33-7imSii-7inCxr-7irvfY-7ipFsE-7ikvP4-7imziR-7iqxu7-7iryZw-7iqNB9-7irtru-7imJN8-7ikZCD-7iqpBq-7imDKx-7iqKa5-7imxsP-7iqHtG-7ink3K-7iqekw-7irjZY-7iqyEj-7inzwr-7inGDK-7inA1P-7inBmF-7inwcP-7imAet-7ipuwq-7iqTVQ-7ipT8m" title="Las Vegas Strip 065"><img alt="Las Vegas Strip 065" height="640" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2705/4134601903_12910a5f11_z.jpg" width="487" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kristan/4135360510/in/photolist-7iqNB9-7irtru-7imJN8-7ikZCD-7iqpBq-7imDKx-7iqKa5-7imxsP-7iqHtG-7ink3K-7iqekw-7irjZY-7iqyEj-7inzwr-7inGDK-7inA1P-7inBmF-7inwcP-7imAet-7ipuwq-7iqTVQ-7ipT8m-7inypz-7imwQv-7inFgg-7irdEN-7iqvTf-7iqGTG-7inDBx-7inxGg-7ipDAw-7ino1P-7inhox-7ir9bj-7inqNg-7iqmmC-7irkEE-7imj2D-7iqsV7-7iq289-7imw3H-7imRQZ-7inwW8-7inooz-7imAVx-7iniPc-7intdt-7iqjiU-7ir9Xw-7inJ2D" title="Las Vegas Strip 062"><img alt="Las Vegas Strip 062" height="375" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2520/4135360510_e8f2b255d6.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kristan/4135491146/in/photolist-7irtru-7imJN8-7ikZCD-7iqpBq-7imDKx-7iqKa5-7imxsP-7iqHtG-7ink3K-7iqekw-7irjZY-7iqyEj-7inzwr-7inGDK-7inA1P-7inBmF-7inwcP-7imAet-7ipuwq-7iqTVQ-7ipT8m-7inypz-7imwQv-7inFgg-7irdEN-7iqvTf-7iqGTG-7inDBx-7inxGg-7ipDAw-7ino1P-7inhox-7ir9bj-7inqNg-7iqmmC-7irkEE-7imj2D-7iqsV7-7iq289-7imw3H-7imRQZ-7inwW8-7inooz-7imAVx-7iniPc-7intdt-7iqjiU-7ir9Xw-7inJ2D-7inrZp" title="Las Vegas Strip pt 2 016"><img alt="Las Vegas Strip pt 2 016" height="375" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2765/4135491146_dd4a341163.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Anyway, it's a good analogy, actually, for what's going on with Nick throughout the story. (And even Hannah, to a degree.) The way we show people only certain aspects ourselves, even if they may not accurately represent the whole picture.<br /><br />Will Nick and Hannah learn to reveal their whole, true selves to one another? Before it's too late? You'll just have to read to find out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s1600/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4qvXAtl-kLYj2CLLpC-11xKc4WGV40HTOsK3q_IPhFjyh7fsEOeqr_pAb3iP8CMc4FWIvkSWyyTfTYGq5sXYDeE9fEz9LZ1G4V65x-WhJyCBYSFvYBuJ5NJjfzLBwkTFjSBv4l7wbcVr/s200/YADBC+logo+spark.jpg" /></a>For more on IN REAL LIFE, check out: <br />
<br />
• <a href="http://wp.me/p4QSjF-6Jk" target="_blank">Our group discussion</a> at The Reading Date<br />
• <a href="http://wp.me/p2UFqp-22d" target="_blank">Q&A with author Jessica Love</a> at Teen Lit Rocks<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://yadiversitybookclub.tumblr.com/">entire YA Diversity Book Club archives</a> can now be found on Tumblr, along with information about our <a href="http://yadiversitybookclub.tumblr.com/upcoming">upcoming book selections</a>.<br />
<br />
Next month we're reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25893705-fifteen-lanes" target="_blank">FIFTEEN LANES by S.J. Laidlaw</a>. Join us!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2