Lucid Conspiracy

Giveaway: Cinder

2012-01-16T19:42:00.003-05:00

Happy 2012! It's so hard to believe that we're already halfway through January. But what better way to kick off the new year than to celebrate it with a giveaway? Up for grabs is a copy of hot new release Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

Cinder was just released on January 3rd. The striking trailer was shared on Lucid Conspiracy just last week.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Now, the contest:

- runs until January 26th, 2012, 11:59pm EST

- open to mailing addresses in the US & Canada

- enter here

ENTRY FORM

Share your thoughts on the book, the trailer, the synopsis, etc. below! Good luck, and here's to 2012 being absolutely epic!

*Contest hosted in collaboration with Zeitghost Media & St. Martin's Press.

Tempest Trailer

2012-01-16T19:10:00.001-05:00

Another trailer to share! This one is for Tempest by Julie Cross, which will be released tomorrow (January 17th, 2012) by St. Martin's Press.

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps– it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Tempest has already been pre-empted by Summit Entertainment (producers of Twilight), and is the first book in a series. Another time travel story, so it'll be cool to see how it plays out!

What're your thoughts on the trailer?

Harbinger Trailer

2012-01-15T23:05:00.001-05:00

Another awesome book trailer to share! Tonight the selection is a live action trailer for Sara Wilson Etienne's Harbinger, which will be published by Penguin on February 2nd, 2012.

Set in a world in which a diminishing oil supply has lead to chaos and mass rioting, sixteen year old Faye is plagued by waking visions and nightmares. Her parents think the only solution is to send her to Holbrook Academy, the creepy prison-like school for disturbed teenagers. When she and her friends wake up on the floor with their hands stained red, Faye has no idea what it means, but fears she may be the cause. But despite the strangeness of Holbrook and the island on which it sits, Faye feels oddly connected to the place. The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain he is trying to kill her –and the rest of the world too.

The trailer is very well done, and definitely very intriguing! Sara has a blog entry about the making of the trailer, which has some really interesting information and behind-the-scenes footage, so be sure to check that out.

Cinder Trailer

2012-01-05T20:35:00.002-05:00

Today, I want to share the awesome book trailer for Cinder by Marissa Meyer, which was just released a few days ago on January 3rd by Feiwel & Friends.

Cinder: Book One in The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time…. Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

Doesn't the book description sound awesome?! Modified humans, fractured fairy tale, science fiction... sounds like great fun!

The dates for Marissa Meyer's extensive author tour can be found on her blog and if you're unable to attend, there will be an author event/party on January 9th on Facebook/Twitter at 7:00 EST.

Waiting on Wednesday (37)

2012-01-04T09:15:00.001-05:00

The Selection - Kiera Cass
*April 24th, 2012 HarperTeen

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

First WoW post of 2012 :) This week's feature is The Selection by Kiera Cass. There's something very striking about the cover, all the feathers and gowns and fractured reflections. A little reminiscent of Black Swan. And in light of the recent royal wedding, princes and princesses and weddings are certainly very much in society's mind currently.

The synopsis sounds great too. America sounds like a very intriguing leading lady, to find something so coveted by others a nightmare.

What're you waiting on this Wednesday?!

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Essay Contest for Aspiring Writers of YA/MG

2012-01-02T16:22:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! Hope 2012 has been going well for everyone so far :)

Today, I just wanted to quickly help share a writing contest for the Book Wish Foundation:

__________

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Good luck and best wishes,

Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation

What You Wish For (ISBN 9780399254543, Putnam Juvenile, Sep. 15, 2011) is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes from 18 all-star writers: Meg Cabot, Jeanne DuPrau, Cornelia Funke, Nikki Giovanni, John Green, Karen Hesse, Ann M. Martin, Alexander McCall Smith, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Carol Oates, Nate Powell, Sofia Quintero, Gary Soto, R.L. Stine, Francisco X. Stork, Cynthia Voigt, Jane Yolen. With a Foreword by Mia Farrow. Book Wish Foundation is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to fund the development of libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.

Top 10 of 2011

2011-12-30T19:47:00.004-05:00

It's kind of insane to think that it's been a full year since the 'Top 10 of 2010' post. In any case, it's been another year of awesome YA books, so let's celebrate that a little! Like last year, a brief disclaimer: the following list is comprised only of books published this past year that I've read. Doubtless there're numerous other great books out there (many of which I've been meaning to read, but haven't gotten around to yet) that aren't included. But anyway, without further ado, let's start the countdown:

9th and 10th place go to Choker by Elizabeth Woods (January 4th, 2011 - Simon & Schuster) and Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey (September 20th, 2011 - HarperTeen), respectively. Choker is a thrilling and mysterious read that'll leave you thinking long after the last page is turned [review] and Cold Kiss has a great fresh twist that makes it a unique paranormal romance [review].
Mandy Hubbard's Ripple (July 21st, 2011 - Penguin) and Gayle Forman's Where She Went (April 5th, 2011 - Penguin) take 7th and 8th place, respectively. Ripple [review] is a super unique and creative mermaid tale, while Where She Went [review] is the emotionally breath-taking sequel to If I Stay [review].
Coming in 6th place is Ally Condie's Matched (November 30th, 2010 - Penguin). I love science fiction and dystopians, and I've read a decent amount of the YA dystopians out there - Matched definitely measures up among the best. Amy Plum's Die For Me (May 10th, 2011 - HarperTeen) takes 5th place for the year. The first in a series, Die For Me is alluring and fresh and takes place in Paris - romantic! [review]
Ranked 4th is Julia Karr's XVI (January 6th, 2011 - Penguin). Another futuristic YA dystopian, XVI proposes a lot of interesting concepts worth thinking about. Thought-provoking and action-packed, XVI also ranks up there with the greats. 3rd is Myra McEntire's Hourglass (June 14th, 2011 - EgmontUSA), a timeslip romance. The leading lady has got spunk! Hourglass is a fun read - it's different from any other YAs currently out there [review].
This takes us to 2nd, which goes to Beth Revis with Across the Universe (January 11th, 2011 - Penguin). Across the Universe has got a bit of many aspects of my favourites - plot turns, space, science fiction, dystopia... It's a pretty epic read! [review] [interview]

And 1st place for 2011? Wither by Lauren DeStefano (March 22nd, 2011 - Simon & Schuster). Absolutely loved Wither. Also a dystopian. Definitely well worth checking out! [review]

So there you have it - my list of top 11 YA books for 2011. What were your favourites this year?

Sarah Dessen Meet & Greet Recap

2011-10-06T13:09:00.001-04:00

On Thursday, September 22nd, I had the awesome opportunity to attend a Meet & Greet with Sarah Dessen at the North York Central Library. So after an early dinner, my friend M. & I TTCed over to North York (more exploration of the city, woo!) North York Central is a really big library (& one of the nicer ones I've seen)!

We got to go into a back room (the staff room?) and there was a square arrangement of sofas - and Sarah Dessen! (I don't have any photos from inside, but there's one on Sarah's blog. You can see part of my leg & my black bag on the left side :)

Sarah was really awesome and super nice and down to earth and genuine. I'll admit, I was a little starstruck. (Or as M. phrased it, "I wasn't sure if you were still breathing.") Then we got adorable lock & key necklaces from Penguin (Thanks Penguin!) and a hardcover copy of either Along for the Ride or What Happened to Goodbye and we lined up to get books signed.
Next, we all went back out into the general seating area, where Dana Krook from Faze magazine interviewed Sarah. And as it turned out, Audrey from Holes In My Brain was sitting behind me, & lo and behold, we go to the same school (and live basically across the street from each other). I was even one of the Frosh Leaders who'd been assigned to help the Frosh move into her residence building! Crazy small world ;)

Listening to Sarah speak was kind of surreal and really awesome and entertaining and inspirational, all at the same time. Dana did a great job asking lots of interesting questions. And after the official "interview" was done, the audience members got to ask some questions as well.

After all that was done, people lined up for book signings. Over all, it was a really cool experience and it was super awesome getting to meet Sarah Dessen!

*Photos of signed books & necklace to come in the next IMM post.

Waiting on Wednesday (36)

2011-10-05T09:05:00.001-04:00

Destined - Jessie Harrell
*November 17th, 2011 Mae Day Publishing

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.

Featuring this one as a "waiting on" book for a number of reasons. First off, it's a pretty striking cover. The pale tones and colour scheme are very soft and seem to fit Psyche very well. Secondly, it's a mythical re-telling of Cupid & Psyche.

It seems like myth re-tellings are pretty big in the YA realm these days, but excited about this one nonetheless. (I actually took a course on Classical Mythology lately, which was very interesting!)

So what're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Giveaway: My Life Undecided

2011-10-03T20:50:00.002-04:00

Hard to believe that it's already October and cool Autumn days are here once again. Coloured leaves, layered clothing and piping hot chocolate... despite the cooler weather, Fall is still a pretty awesome season. So... giveaway time! In collaboration with Zeitghost Media, Lucid Conspiracy is pleased to present a giveaway for a copy of My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody!PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.

Contest open to US & Canada [mailing addresses] and runs until October 15th, 11:59pm EST. First entry is a freebie.

ENTER HERE

Submit your entry here, and good luck! Check out Jessica Brody's site or the book site for more info.

Word on the Street 2011

2011-10-02T14:47:00.001-04:00

Sunday, September 25th was The Word on the Street, an annual national book & magazine festival that celebrates literacy and the written word. (WOTS site) It was pretty cool last year (Yann Martel had a presentation!), so J (who went with me last year too) and I decided to check it out again this year.

We went earlier in the afternoon this time around, and it was definitely a lot more packed, as we were there during peak hours.
^ Look, it's the HarperCollins booth! Not sure if you guys can tell from the photo, but there are cover promos for Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (set for release November 2011) and Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon (October 2011), among others.
Overall, it was a pretty cool festival!

Did any of you guys check it out/what did you think?

Ripple Review

2011-09-29T23:55:00.002-04:00

Ripple - Mandy Hubbard

*July 21st, 2011 Razorbill

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal

teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

Ripple is an adorable YA paranormal romance by literary superpower Mandy Hubbard.

Like its connotatively watery title suggests, Ripple is a mermaid tale of sorts. However, Hubbard puts a distinctively new and unique spin on the age-old concept in an enjoyable and entertaining way. Personally, I devoured Ripple in pretty much one sitting.

Ripple is a fast read, perfect for the beach, a patch of grass underneath a tree or a cool autumn day spent inside with hot chocolate. Lexi, as a character, is fairly well developed. She's the type of leading lady that you'll find yourself rooting for as the plot progresses. The plot is nicely balanced in terms of portions of light-heartedness and darker moments.

These are certain aspects - both of characters' actions and plot development - which require some suspension of disbelief. This is a paranormal romance though, so to some degree, that's to be expected.

All in all, Mandy Hubbard's Ripple is a fun, unique and highly entertaining read! With just the right ratios of cuteness and conflict, seriousness and fun, Ripple caters to its target audience magnificently.

Cold Kiss Review

2011-08-31T22:30:00.001-04:00

Cold Kiss - Amy Garvey

*September 20th, 2011 HarperTeen

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey's Cold Kiss is a beautifully written paranormal romance, conveying young love in a poignant and aching manner.

Cold Kiss has all the requisite elements of a paranormal romance, and will no doubt be very much appealing to the target demographic. As set up in the synopsis, leading lady Wren is caught in quite the predicament with her more-than-mortal love triangle. With this genre, why have only one enticing gentleman when you can have two?

The strongest aspect of Cold Kiss, however, is Garvey's writing. The voice is exquisite and unique, beautiful and vivid. The descriptions, the digressions, everything is expressed with fluid writing that just flows beautifully. The aspect that was a little lacking, however, was the plot. Not a lot of action happens, and questionable aspects of world-building aren't entirely resolved by the end of the novel. At the times when the plot dragged, even the nice writing got bogged down.

With that being said, Cold Kiss is an emotion-charged read, and it follows that vein nicely. Most of the characters are fairly likeable, or at the very least, neutral. (Interesting to note that Cold Kiss breaks from convention a little in that there is no explicit antagonist - only antagonized situations - which perhaps more closely resembles real life.)

With beautiful writing and aching emotion, Cold Kiss is a touching read about young love.

Cold Kiss on HarperCollins

Graveminder Review

2011-08-03T16:30:00.003-04:00

Graveminder - Melissa Marr
*May 17th, 2011 HarperCollins

Three sips to mind the dead . . .

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the attention her grandmother Maylene bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the small town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each one Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: She took three sips from a silver flask and spoke the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead, and Bek must go back to the place she left a decade earlier. She soon discovers that Claysville is not just the sleepy town she remembers, and that Maylene had good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in Claysville the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected; beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. If the dead are not properly cared for, they will come back to satiate themselves with food, drink, and stories from the land of the living. Only the Graveminder, by tradition a Barrow woman, and her Undertaker—in this case Byron Montgomery, with whom Bek shares a complicated past—can set things right once the dead begin to walk.

Although she is still grieving for Maylene, Rebekkah will soon find that she has more than a funeral to attend to in Claysville, and that what awaits her may be far worse: dark secrets, a centuries-old bargain, a romance that still haunts her, and a frightening new responsibility—to stop a monster and put the dead to rest where they belong.

Graveminder is Bestselling YA author Melissa Marr's first foray into the realm of adult novels.
And certainly, what an interesting foray it is! With her apt ability for urban paranormalcy, one would expect no less than Graveminder from the Bestselling Marr. Graveminder is eerie and remote, familiar and creepy.

Something about the way that Marr lays out the setting makes the story seem very near. The mood and atmosphere is captured and shared beautifully. The concepts explored throughout the novel are intriguing and chilling. At times, it seemed to take the characters significantly longer to figure things out than the readers (which was also mentioned in the review of Marr's YA novel Radiant Shadows). Which is to say, it could've moved a bit faster, been a bit shorter. There are aspects of Graveminder which seem to fall more in the vein of YA than adult, stylistically. The resolution also came off a little anti-climatic.

Marr's world building remains her strong suit in debut adult novel Graveminder, with an enthralling and haunting setting.

With interesting characters, a vivid setting and haunting story, Melissa Marr's Graveminder is a wonderful debut into the realm of adult fiction.

Graveminder on HarperCollins

Waiting on Wednesday (35)

2011-08-02T23:55:00.001-04:00

Centauriad #1: Daughter of the Centaurs - K. K. Ross
*January 24th, 2012 Random House

Malora knows what she was born to be: a horse wrangler and a hunter, just like her father. But when her people are massacred by batlike monsters called Leatherwings, Malora will need her horse skills just to survive. The last living human, Malora roams the wilderness at the head of a band of magnificent horses, relying only on her own wits, strength, and courage. When she is captured by a group of centaurs and taken to their city, Malora must decide whether the comforts of her new home and family are worth the parts of herself she must sacrifice to keep them.

Kate Klimo has masterfully created a new world, which at first seems to be an ancient one or perhaps another world altogether, but is in fact set on earth sometime far in the future.

Centaurs! How splendid. Centaurs are definitely an aspect of mythology that hasn't been adequately explored in YA literature yet, so it'll be very interesting to see how Ross does so.

And who hasn't read at least one horse book in their early chapter/MG days?

So what're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Die For Me Review

2011-07-26T14:08:00.003-04:00

Die For Me - Amy Plum
*May 10th, 2011 HarperTeen

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Amy Plum's Die for Me is a tantalizing YA paranormal romance, brimming with allure and sure to captivate the female YA market segment.

Die for Me may be Plum's debut novel, but as an author, it is clear that Plum is already quite a master. It is quite remarkable really, that Plum manages to take a paranormal element that would usually have gnarly associations and grotesque associations, and turn it into something scintillating and sexy.

And of course, the fact that Die for Me is set in romantic Paris certainly doesn't hurt. The exotic locale paired with the intriguing characters and captivating plot make for a very entrancing story.

The beginning of the novel does start a little slowly and a bit of suspension of disbelief is necessary on the part of the reader, but Die for Me is definitely well worth sticking in there for.

The chemistry between Kate and Vincent is splayed across the pages skillfully and smoothly. The mythology behind the paranormal elements is fresh and unique. And Plum's writing is beautiful to boot. This is definitely going to be an author to keep an eye out for, especially since Die for Me will indeed have a sequel!

Exotic and romantic, Die for Me is a very fresh and unique piece of YA paranormal romance.

Die for Me on HarperCollins

In My Mailbox [53]

2011-07-23T22:01:00.002-04:00

Since my last In My Mailbox post, I've received:

` Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
` Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
` Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

and a card, signed postcard, and set of trading cards for Solstice by P.J. Hoover. (Thanks!)

Imaginary Girls was reviewed here, and I reviewed Andrea Cremer's Nightshade, the prequel to Wolfsbane, here.

So there you have it, the contents of my mailbox lately. What about you, what literary goodies have you gotten?

& while you're here - don't forget to enter to win the complete Relic Master series by Catherine Fisher. Go, go, go!

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

Imaginary Girls Review

2011-07-22T22:03:00.001-04:00

Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma
*June 14th, 2011 Dutton Juvenile

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.

Nova Ren Suma's Imaginary Girls is as mysterious as the depths of a water resevoir.

In a nutshell, Imginary Girls chronicles the relationship between two sisters, Ruby and Chloe. And what a relationship it is! Magnetic and convoluted, repelling and distorted, attractive and almost magical, their connection is like no other.

Imginary Girls is certainly a very interesting novel, you could say. It's very difficult to categorize - mostly a contemporary coming-of-age story, it has elements of urban paranormalcy and while it's not a mystery, per se, there are definitely mysterious elements to it.

There are long, lavishly looping descriptions and miniature stories within the larger framework of the present day story. For people like intricate descriptions and flowly language, Imaginary Girls may very well be a fulfilling read. (Personally, some passages got somewhat repetitive and unnecessary - ended up skim-reading a couple of paragraphs in a couple of the chapters.) In some ways, Imaginary Girls has YA content and length, but seems to be almost an MG novel stretched to fit the mold. The end of the novel felt unresolved and open-ended. Which does make it haunting, to some degree, though.

For those who are into mysterious reads with flowy descriptive writing, Imaginary Girls would definitely be one to check out.

Waiting on Wednesday (34)

2011-07-20T09:10:00.001-04:00

Darker Still - Leanna Renee Hieber
*November 1st, 2011 Sourcebooks Fire

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1880. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

First off, that's a pretty striking cover, what with the framing and the lighting and the general effects. Secondly, it's YA historical with paranormal elements by the sounds of it, so it'll definitely be interesting to see how that plays out.

And the general descriptors and synopsis above - hmmmmmm!

So what're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Giveaway: Relic Master Complete Series Giveaway

2011-07-18T22:45:00.001-04:00

We're now well into Summer - warm weather and cool popsicles, early sunrises and late sunsets, timed yet timeless... So what better time than now for a giveaway? In collaboration with Big Honcho Media, Lucid Conspiracy is pleased to announce a contest for Catherine Fisher's Relic Master series.

About the Relic Master Series:
Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his sixteen-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be tested beyond their limits. For there are monsters-some human, some not-that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it.

RELIC MASTER is a four book series. Each book will be released over four consecutive months this summer:

Book One: The Dark City, May 17
Book Two: The Lost Heiress, June 14
Book Three: The Hidden Coronet, July 12
Book Four: The Margrave, August 9

Each book will include a piece of the map of Anara, the world of RELIC MASTER, on the reverse of the jacket. Collect all four books and you will have the complete map.

About the Author:
Catherine Fisher is the author of the New York Times bestselling duology Incarceron and Sapphique and in the Relic Master series has created a world equally as developed, dynamic and dangerous as that of Incarceron. Visit her at www.catherine-fisher.com.

About the Contest:
One winner will receive the complete Relic Master series - one copy of each of the four titles! Contest is open to mailing addresses in the U.S. & Canada, and will run until Wednesday, July 27th, 11:59 PM EST. Go here to enter; good luck!

ENTER HERE

Relic Master series widgetgreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

It's July 1st...

2011-07-01T13:07:00.002-04:00

Happy Canada Day!

Haunting Violet Review

2011-06-21T23:18:00.002-04:00

Haunting Violet - Alyxandra Harvey
*June 21st, 2011 Walker Books for Young Readers

Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

With Haunting Violet Alyxandra Harvey has painted a deliciously chilling gothic ghost story.

It's a little unfortunate that there isn't more historical YA out there these days, especially considering how they could provide the perfect context for [recently in demand] ghost stories. Harvey portrays an immersive world of Victorian society and Lords and cultural aspects of days gone by. It's the perfect setting for her well put together tale. Haunting Violet has a bit of everything - mystery, intrigue, gossip, scandal...

For the most part, the mystery element in Haunting Violet is relatively well done. The more observant reader might catch on fairly in advance of the characters doing so, but the plot line throughout is interesting. The characters are likeable and credible as belonging to the Victorian era. Violet's voice and personality shine with charisma throughout the course of the novel, more than earning her right to be the title character.

If you're looking for a good ghost story or a mystery novel or something set in the Victorian era, or just a good read in general, Haunting Violet is definitely one worth checking out.

Alyxandra Harvey has created a haunting tale with Haunting Violet.

Giveaway: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

2011-06-20T23:25:00.003-04:00

Catherynne M. Valente's first novel for young readers The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is now available from Macmillan Children's. After you've checked out the super-duper trailer above, be sure to pop by Macmillan's page for the book, as well as Catherynne's site and blog.

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn?t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

If that sounds like a book you'd like to win, then enter the giveaway (hosted in collaboration with Zeitghost Media)! Contest is open to mailing address in the US & Canada, and will run until June 30th, 2011 noon EST. Go here to enter. Good luck!

ENTER HERE

Hourglass Review

2011-06-14T23:15:00.001-04:00

Hourglass - Myra McEntire
*June 14th, 2011 EgmontUSA

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Myra McEntire's Hourglass opens with a beautiful quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: "What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you." A very fitting selection for a novel that features a leading lady named Emerson and dissects the concept of time.

And boy, does McEntire execute it in a phenomenal way! The writing is wickedly humourous, the style decidedly unique. Emerson's voice carries throughout the course of the novel exceptionally well, at turns very witty and almost sardonic. One of my personal favourites? "My ass was grass, and big brother was the lawn mower" (McEntire 188). Right? What did I tell ya?

I love the fact that Emerson is a bit of a spitfire, able to hold her own and isn't a blubbering damsel-in-distress. And, y'know, Michael Weaver's not too shabby himself either. Basically, characterization of both major and supporting characters is very well done. They're all very likeable, very [people]-next-door, the kind of people you'd want to know. (Well, maybe not the antagonists ;)

The concepts explored in Hourglass are also very thought-provoking, and will leave your mind whirring long after finishing the novel, trying to think your way through every possibility - both explicit and implicit. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more from McEntire! And guess what - you're in luck! Hourglass was officially released today, so go, go, go and get your hands on a copy!

Hourglass is a phenomenal paranormal debut from Myra McEntire.

__________
*The beautiful cover photography was shot by Lissy Elle using a Nikon D90. The piece was originally titled "Defying Gravity". Definitely pop by her site or flickr photostream if you get a chance - there's some really amazing work there.

Reviews: Choker & The Sky is Everywhere

2011-06-11T23:26:00.001-04:00

Choker - Elizabeth Woods
*January 4th, 2011 Simon & Schuster

First off, how striking is the cover for Choker? The graphic design work on it is pretty cool. Now, Choker. Honestly, kind of mixed feelings about this one. When I'd first picked it up, a couple pages in was the "cafeteria scene" - and it was basically very textbook, cliche, standard "expected" cafeteria scene - described by clique and how each clique sat at specific tables, etc. etc. (Now, let me just say, having experienced multiple high school cafeterias - we're talking upwards of 4 here - nowhere have I encountered a cafeteria with dividing lines laid out so precisely thus.) And that was basically the point at which I put the book down.

A couple weeks later, bored, I ended up picking it up again. The majority of the book is fairly decently written. (There were a couple of instances of characters having already done an action, and then repeating it a few paragraphs later, though.) But the really redeeming factor for Choker is its ending twist. It's the sort of ending that makes you go, "whoa" and quite of re-question all the narrative that came prior. It's the kind of ending that leaves you thinking, leaves you churning the story over in your head long after the last page has been turned, searching, marveling, trying to piece it together.

It's a little unfortunate that the rest of the novel didn't have the same intensity, the same pow! factor as the ending, but Choker is definitely a thriller still well worth reading.

The Sky is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson
*March 9th, 2010 Dial

There's been a ton of great buzz about Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere. Basically just reporting in that it lives up to the hype!

The Sky is Everywhere is a touching, charismatic sketch of loss and love, of going forward but remembering the past, of growing up. Lennie (who has a very cool name!) is voiced wonderfully and uniquely by Nelson. But what really stands out is Nelson's style. The writing is very different from a lot of what's out there in YA these days (a fair amount of short, choppy phrasing, a fair amount of long, flowy diction, etc.). There's something poetic and lyrical and almost artistic about Nelson's writing.

Basically, Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere is pretty exquisite.

Why YA? Why not?

2011-06-06T22:06:00.002-04:00

Recently, the prestige and caliber of modern day YA has once again been cast in spotlights. Although it's been a recurring debate as of late, this Wall Street Journal articles has further thrown fuel on the fire. Numerous blog posts and twitter hashtags resulted (notably, #YAsaves & #YAkills). Now, a ton of great stuff has been said - the majority of it supportive of YA - so I'm not going to rehash that too much. I would, however, like to further propose a few points for discussion (and really, feel free to pop your opinions down below as comments).

First off, the age bracket of YA. The general acceptance seems to be the 14-18 range, solidly, although usually the span is greater, ranging from 12-20. Now, let's take note of the fact that this is indeed a wide range of ages, especially since it encompasses the onset of puberty and the transition into "adulthood". But let's also keep in mind the fact that everybody develops at a different rate, age is just a number, yada yada. As cliche as it may sound, it is also undeniably true that yes, a lot of 12-year-olds haven't had the same life experience as someone who's say, 30. But it is also likewise true that there are countless 16-year-olds out there with a much greater amount of maturity in their possession as someone who's say, 40. Furthermore, young adults aren't the only ones reading YA. Older adults aren't the only ones writing YA. And really, any decently written, worthwhile book should be able to transcend the superficial labels of age anyway.

The article by Meghan Cox Gurdon has already been hotly debated with numerous examples of how #YAsaves and counterexamples of dark fiction published in previous generations. To quote, "How dark is contemporary fiction for teens? Darker than when you were a child, my dear:" And then she proceeds to provide the example of The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but The Marbury Lens is not contemporary YA. Let's compare apples with apples and oranges with oranges, shall we? If we look at John Wyndham's The Chrysalids or Ayn Rand's Anthem, fiction that contains sci-fi or dystopian or fantasy or paranormal elements in general tend to be darker than straight-up contemporary. YA contemporary of which there is an abundance of light-hearted, fun, easy-going reads, regardless, in addition to those that deal with the heavier material.

There seems to be a fair amount of First World naiveity going on here as well. When we look at the rest of the world, the brutality, the mutilation, the terror, the torture, the horrors of daily life... Things far worse than what's depicted in today's YA literature exists out there, occurs out there, and will continue to occur out there if it's ignored. Considering that the 'young adults' of today are the leaders of tomorrow, isn't it of absolute importance that these youth are exposed to the realities of the world so that we, homo sapiens, as a collective species, are able to acknowledge our flaws and our brutality so that we are able to take steps to ameliorate and eradicate said negativity?

Do we really want to spawn a generation whose biggest concern is whether the whale appears on Twitter, a generation who rages at being unable to access Facebook at school, a generation who dwells in ignorance of the atrocities that occur in the world? Let's take a famous example here, Harry Potter. Now, isn't it a valid point that Lord Voldemort, the Horcruxes, separating his soul through homicide, etc. etc. is comparably "dark" to those themes mentioned in Gurdon's article? And yet... we haven't seen anything on the news lately about any young adults attempting to split their soul through murder - shocker!

Judy Blume has published books as recently as 2008 - three years ago. Pretty sure that was the same generation as this current one, which would make... Judy Blume the Judy Blume of our generation, yeah?

And onto Katie Roiphe's article - in the Wall Street Journal Business section, no less - from two years ago today. The insult parade gets a head start with the title: "It Was, Like, All Dark and Stormy". Well, if that isn't a huge generalization about supposed "teen-speak". But most importantly, in the 'Corrections & Amplifications' section, the writer herself acknowledges: "Also, in the novel "Hunger Games," one teenager of each sex from each district competes in a competition to the death. Previously, the essay incorrectly said one teenager from each district competed." First off, the title of the book is The Hunger Games. Secondly, considering that the fact that both Peeta & Katniss are from the same district is such a key aspect of the novel - and the double tributes are such a dominant motif throughout - it would've been picked up by even a scanner-reader. Which begs the question, did Ms. Roiphe even read the novel before making judgements and trying to incorporate it as evidence?

Wall Street Journal, I can't say I'm not a little disappointed. Once, fine, maybe it was one article gone awry. But twice? And practically on the two year anniversary of the first? Really, really?

Maybe it's time to take a page out of npr's book on this topic.

What're your thoughts on this whole issue?

In My Mailbox [52]

2011-05-28T21:55:00.003-04:00

In the past two weeks I received:

- An ARC of Hourglass by Myra McEntire and a KTeenBooks USB bracelet with excerpts etc. from a Twitter contest (Thanks @K_Teen!).
- 3 Escapee bracelets & 3 signed bookmarks from Mary E. Pearson, author of The Jenna Fox Chronicles (Thanks Mary!)

So there you have it, the contents of my mailbox lately. What about you, what literary goodies have you gotten?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren
**The winner of the recent contest for First Daughter & Blood Trust was Erinberry - congratulations!

Mara Dyer Cover Art

2011-05-27T20:49:00.001-04:00

So the other day, I was browsing weheartit when I stumbled upon the above image and was instantly struck with a sense of recognition. Something about the clothing, the subjects of the photo, the atmosphere of the photo itself, seemed a little familiar.

Oh, I don't know, kind of like The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer sort of familiar. So of course, I went and pulled up the book cover, and 'lo and behold, it was the same clothing! Having a personal interest in photography, and photographers whose work end up on covers, I set out to investigate further.

As it turns out, this was shot by Heather Landis, who shot a whole series of photos in this theme. (A few of them are displayed below.) Definitely pop by her website if you have time, there's tons of really awesome artwork over there.

And just some basic info about the book - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin will be released on September 27th, 2011 by Simon & Schuster. Having heard a ton of great early buzz about it thus far, I'm definitely very excited for this one!

Have you found any other awesome photographers who've shot recent YA book covers?!

Wake Unto Me Review

2011-05-26T14:45:00.001-04:00

Wake Unto Me - Lisa Cach

*March 31st, 2011 Speak

A haunted castle, a handsome young man dead for four hundred years, one heck of a scary portrait of a witch, and a treasure hunt -- not to mention a princess for a roommate! -- all await 15 year old American girl Caitlyn Monahan when she earns a scholarship to a French boarding school.

There are secrets behind the stone walls of Chateau de la Fortune, buried for centuries along with the mystery of who killed Raphael, the charming ghost who visits Caitlyn at night. But as Caitlyn unearths the history of the castle, nothing scares her as badly as the secret she learns about herself, and the reason she was chosen to come to the Fortune School.

And nothing breaks her heart as badly as falling in love with a dead guy.

Ghosts, an exotic locale, a mystery... Lisa Cach's Wake Unto Me has all the trappings of a deliciously dark story well worthy of its creepy cover¹.

There's a lot of controversy in the literary world regarding prologues, usually against them. But Wake Unto Me is one example, I think, in which the prologue works quite well. Cach starts out the novel on an ominous note, which from the very get-go leaves the reader curious about the tone of the rest of the story. The fact that the majority of the story takes place in France is very cool indeed, lending it an added layer of mystique from being foreign. Although I get that people from numerous countries are kind of requisite with the setting, the inclusion of numerous languages and comprehension thereof is something I'm a little on the fence about.

Wake Unto Me certainly explores a number of paranormal elements in a fresh way. The "Screechers", the timelines, the transcendental lives... Cach puts her own unique spin on each aspect. Overall, the mystery element was nicely done, although parts of it were more predictable than the characters seemed able to put together.

The scenes of the climax and denouement are artfully written and satisfying. The resolution, alas, is slightly less so. It tests the limits of credibility, and the way it came about (and the sheer lack of acknowledgement thereof) is rather disturbing.

With Wake Unto Me, Cach has written an intriguing and Romantic ghost story that shimmers of mystique.

Lisa Cach / Goodreads / Wake Unto Me / IndieBound

¹ Is it just me, or is there something really bizarre about the guy's hands on the cover?

Enclave Review

2011-05-24T23:20:00.001-04:00

Enclave (Razorland #1) - Ann Aguirre

*April 12th, 2011 Feiwel & Friends

New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20's. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters—or Freaks—who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight, in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs. As the two are guided by Fade’s long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they’ve ever known.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre is a fast-paced, action-packed futuristic/science fiction read. With a plot that really moves and a haunting dystopian world, Enclave is an entertaining quick read that can be finished in a sitting or two.

For the most part, Enclave is fairy enjoyable, as far as entertainment derived from reading goes. The futuristic world that Aguirre lays out here is relatively similar to our own - enough so that it is relatable and credible. Heavy on the action and neutral on the cover, Enclave is the type of book that would have more appeal with the reluctant and/or male reader segments, especially considering its short length.

Enclave appears to be the first in a series (Razorland) - and it shows. The world-building progresses fairly nicely, the setting is put into place, and the backstory is explored - but as a standalone, there are a number of weaknesses. There seems to be a fair amount of expectation for [readers] to accept things as face value, lacking adequate explanation. Some of the plot points read like deus ex machina, a little too convenient. At times the writing seems almost as if there's a misconceived notion that the narrative needs to be watered down in order to cater to "younger adults".

In spite of all that, Enclave is still a fairly fun read. The world-building is well done and action is well placed (which is more than can be said for a lot of mammoth novels these days with lots of exposition and lack of action). It's also very refreshing to see a female leading lady who's well able to hold her own and kick some serious butt. Brave and bold, Huntress Deuce is far from being a damsel in distress.

All in all, with Enclave Aguirre has crafted an engaging read that will be quickly devoured by readers like Freaks devour raw flesh.

Ann Aguirre / Enclave / IndieBound / Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (33)

2011-05-18T12:07:00.002-04:00

Awaken - Katie Kacvinsky
*May 23rd, 2011 Houghton Mifflin

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

I think this one sounds very interesting for a number of reasons. First off, considering the current state of our technology-obsessed culture, it's certainly very plausible to consider a potential future where lives are lived on a screen. Considering that things like online shopping, online dating, working remotely from home with computers, etc. have infiltrated and permeated our culture...

From the sounds of the synopsis, there's certainly a lot of potential here to explore the implications thereof, should our society continue down this path of technology-reliance. I guess we'll have to keep waiting to see how Kacvinsky explores the depths of humanity vs. technology here.

And what're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Also - don't forget to pop by and enter to win First Daughter and Blood Trust here!

Teaser Tuesday {6}

2011-05-17T12:15:00.001-04:00

__________

She nods at me, still looking down. Her eyes flicker up to my face, and then return to their previous position, a small frown etched around her lips. “Are you newly Independent, Dom?”

“Yeah, I –”

“You better hurry,” she says, cutting me off. “You don’t want to be late.”

“Late?” I ask, not recalling anything instructions about activities tonight.

“For reporting to work,” she clarifies. She nods at my bag. “You should probably get that dropped off and get to it.”

“Um...” I’m honestly not sure what to say. This is my first real interaction in which our designation system has really come into play. I’m a little embarrassed that she thinks I’m lower tier, but I’m also a little ashamed for thinking that way. I play with the SmrtPad in my pocket a little, debating how to respond.

Lane’s eyes dart side to side, gauging whether there are any other people in our vicinity. Satisfied that the coast is clear, she leans in closer. The top of her head barely reaches my neck. Her breath is warm against the base of my throat. “You’ll want to make a good first impression,” she says nervously, like she’s telling me something she shouldn’t be. “It’ll matter.” Done with her good deed for the day, she leans back and shrugs. “Congratulations,” she adds, and then shuffles away.

Winner Announcement + Scholastic's Charity Auction

2011-05-16T21:37:00.001-04:00

Just a couple of quick news announcements today. First off, the winner of the A Discovery of Witches book + buttons giveaway is LiLi from ChicaReader - congratulations! If you didn't win this time around, never fear - pop by here and enter for a chance to win Blood Trust and First Daughter. You have until May 20th, 11:59 P.M.

Secondly, Scholastic is hosting a charity auction.

"Twelve top children’s book illustrators created original artwork for Scholastic’s month-long online charity auction (which opened for bids on May 5th) to benefit Reading Is Fundamental and Reach Out and Read, two amazing literacy organizations that have lost all federal funding, making it even more difficult for them to help the kids who need it the most.

To view the spectacular original artwork by all 12 artists, simply go to www.scholastic.com/readeveryday. From there you can then pick a favorite, place a bid, and put books into the hands of the neediest kids - and they’ll have a piece of original art by a beloved children’s artist that illustrates the important role of books in all our lives."

It's for a great cause and there's a ton of really awesome artwork, so it's definitely worth checking out & spreading the word about!

Have a great week guys! Cheers :)

In My Mailbox [51]

2011-05-14T19:20:00.001-04:00

In the past two weeks, I received:
For Review:
` Graveminder by Melissa Marr
` Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
` Die For Me by Amy Plum
(Thanks, Harper, for the above!)

` Enclave by Ann Aguirre (Thanks Zeitghost & Macmillan!)

and from a Twitter contest:
` When You Were Mine by Elizabeth Noble (Thanks Penguin!)

And that's my mailbox for the past two weeks. What've you gotten recently?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

**While you're here - don't forget to enter the giveaway for a copy of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and a set of buttons, as well as the giveaway for a copy of First Daughter and a copy of Blood Trust, both by Eric Van Lustbader!

Giveaway: Blood Trust & First Daughter

2011-05-13T22:29:00.008-04:00

In celebration of the paperback release of Last Snow, there's a new Youtube book trailer!

From The Author of "The Bourne Sanction" and "The Bourne Legacy" comes Eric Van Lustbader's electrifying second novel in the Jack McClure/ Alli Carson Series, "Last Snow". Check out "Last Snow" on the Macmillan website for more information!

And in celebration of this, Lucid Conspiracy, in collaboration with Zeitghost Media, is pleased to announce a giveaway for copies of Blood Trust and First Daughter to one winner!

Contest is open to mailing addresses in the U.S. and Canada, and will run until 11:59 PM May 20th, 2011. First entry is a freebie, additional entries available for: blog followers, linking the contest, and linking the trailer.

ENTER HERE

Submit the contest entry form to enter. Good luck!

Waiting on Wednesday (32)

2011-05-11T11:03:00.002-04:00

Deadly Cool - Gemma Halliday
*October 1st, 2011 HarperTeen

DEADLY COOL, in which a sixteen-year-old finds out that her boyfriend was cheating on her with the president of the chastity club; when she goes to confront the cheaters, she finds the girl dead instead and now must solve the murder.

I chose Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday this week for a number of reasons. First off, how haunting is the cover? There's something very striking, very gripping, about the eyes of the cover model. Secondly, although there's not a lot in the way of a synopsis to go off of, from what can be gathered, it's a YA murder mystery! Comparatively speaking, mystery isn't a genre that gets a lot of the YA market share, so it'll definitely be interesting to see how Deadly Cool does.

What're you waiting on this week?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Where She Went Review

2011-05-09T00:05:00.002-04:00

Where She Went - Gayle Forman

*April 5th, 2011 Dutton Juvenile

It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Where She Went is the perfect sequel to Gayle Forman's Bestselling If I Stay. The follow-up is just as poignant, just as bittersweet, and just as beautiful.

I'll admit - when I first heard about Where She Went, I was a little doubtful about how Forman would pull it off. If I Stay functioned so well as a standalone that it was hard to imagine a sequel that would be not only of the same caliber (or better) writing-wise, but also an additional piece that would add to the story. With Where She Went, Forman more than managed to pull it off brilliantly!

Although the follow-up is clearly a continuation of the same story, there are a number of fundamental differences. For one thing, the setting takes place three years later. For another, it takes place in the busy, bustling metropolis of New York. But most importantly, Where She Went is told from Adam's perspective. This, as it turns out, is one of the best things that could've happened to make the sequel as great as it is.

Sure, in If I Stay, we're managed to meet Adam. But everything we learned was filtered through Mia's perceptions, everything told through a biased lens. With Where She Went, we get Adam, raw and real. It's great to get further insight into the enigma that is Adam, the way that he dealt with the aftermath, the inner turmoil he experienced, the emotions that were released in unhealthy ways. The characters - not just the main ones, but all of them - seem almost closer now, having been experienced through an additional medium.

The interactions between Mia and Adam, the way that the events of the past three years are revealed, the fact that this next part of the story, too, occurs in a very short period of time... Forman executes it all with the same precision, skill and beautiful writing present in If I Stay. If I Stay and Where She Went hardly read like two separate novels - if anything, they're perfect complements for each other, two parts of one whole.

With a great sense of pacing, beautiful prose and intricate character relationships, Forman's deft writing skill has been proven yet again. This is definitely one YA author to keep an eye out for!

Wither Review

2011-05-03T15:05:00.003-04:00

Wither (Chemical Garden #1) - Lauren DeStefano

*March 22nd, 2011 Simon & Schuster

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

With Wither, Lauren DeStefano has crafted an masterpiece that's achingly beautiful from cover to cover.

Wither is a YA dystopian novel that has received a large magnitude of positive hype. Well, I'm pleased to report that it more than lives up to the reputation that precedes it! I finished Wither in one night, staying up well into the wee hours of morning to complete it. It has definitely earned its rightful place on my shelf of favourites.

One of the most notable characteristics of Wither is how simply engaging it is. DeStefano's world building is spectacular - it's similar enough to our own to maintain credibility and relatability, yet distinctive enough to distinguish as a hypothetical future for humanity. The mood and atmosphere that DeStefano creates is equally remarkable - so realistic that it transcends the physical pages and printed words to seep into [the reader's] mind, to create genuine emotions, to alter the mood [of the audience]. Fictional worlds this immersive are a beautiful rarity.

And the characters - wow. DeStefano is a highly talented writer who has managed to almost breathe life into her characters. I'll let the story and characterization speak for themselves, but basically: be prepared to really connect with Wither.

Another one of the great aspects of Wither is its concept. Dystopian novels really resonate these days to begin with because they offer a safe exploration of potential futures, a medium for social satire, a vessel for outrageous speculation and prediction. Alas, not all such entities are created equal. I'm pleased to report that Wither is highly proficient such a vessel. Wither really explores deeply aspects of our humanity. What happens when science goes too far? What if you knew when you would die? What would you be willing to do to escape your "fate"?

With remarkable world-building, probing concepts and bewitching atmosphere, Lauren DeStefano's Wither is a transcendental work of art.

Giveaway: A Discovery of Witches

2011-05-01T16:40:00.003-04:00

May is a wonderful month for a number of reasons: beautiful Spring weather, my birthday month, the beginning of "summer" break (for those in university/college)... the list goes on. So why not start the month off with a big bang?

Thanks to the awesome people over at Penguin, Lucid Conspiracy is pleased to present a giveaway for a copy of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (which I've seen popping up on a ton of IMMs this week!) and a bunch of pins.

Don't forget to pop by Deborah's site to vote for your dream movie casting!

So how would you go about winning these awesome prizes? Read on:

Contest runs until May 15th, 2011 (11:59 p.m. EST). Open to mailing addresses in the US & Canada. Additional entries available for:
` being a blog follower
` linking to the contest
` commenting on a review or interview
` totaling up your entries

First entry is a freebie (just for entering your name & e-mail :)

ENTER HERE

Submit the entry form, and good luck! Happy May :)

IMM [50] + Update + Winners

2011-04-30T19:35:00.001-04:00

Summer freedom! First year university has gone by amazingly fast, and it's been an absolutely awesome experience thus far, everything considered. The last couple of weeks have been insane, with final exams, trying to hang out with friends as much as possible before the break, adventuring around the city, etc.

This actually looks like a lot more than it actually is. I got home yesterday, and this is a culmination of everything that's arrived at my house since January and at my dorm since the last IMM post.

` Matched by Ally Condie (Thanks, Sherry!)

` Across the Universe by Beth Revis (autographed, see below; thanks Penguin & Beth! Check out my review & interview :)

And from Penguin (thanks!):

` Where She Went by Gayle Forman (review of If I Stay)

` So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

` Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach

` Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Also received some signed bookmarks & magnets from the awesome Hannah Moskowitz - thanks! :)

In regards to the contests recently run on Lucid Conspiracy: Sarah won Mind Gap and Cheyanne won Accomplice. Both winners have been contacted. Thanks to everyone who entered, and better luck next time! :)

So what's been in your mailbox lately?

Guest Post: Holly Schindler

2011-04-23T13:02:00.002-04:00

Today, we have Holly Schindler, author of A Blue So Dark and Playing Hurt here with some words of wisdom for those of you on the verge of graduation! Be sure to pop by her lovely blog or check her out on Twitter :) And without further ado, here's Holly:

A NICE SAFE MAJOR

Graduation’s getting closer—and for some of you, that means you’re staring college square in the eye.

Which means you’re getting advice coming at you from all angles, about what college to attend and how to find a nice, safe major.

My take? There is no such thing as a safe major.

I got all kinds of grief for being a literature / creative writing student. Back when I was going to school, the “safe” major for anyone interested in writing was journalism. Since I graduated, though, newspapers have folded at an alarming rate. I’d bet that right now, anyone in college claiming to be a journalism major is met with the same, “What do you honestly think you’re going to do with THAT?” kind of questions I dealt with all through college.

And the other thing is, it’s hard to forge your way in any career. You’ll work every bit as hard on your second choice as you would on your first. You should be working, then, on whatever it is that makes you the absolute happiest—whether that’s journalism, creative writing, literature, art... Follow your heart, no matter how crazy it seems. Make sure you’re chasing your passions. Chasing your passions, in my estimation, really is the key to happiness…

Thanks so much for dropping by with advice, Holly! :)

In My Mailbox [49]

2011-04-17T03:21:00.003-04:00

I actually got this a few weeks ago - and it certainly wasn't actually in my mailbox. After basically being fed up with residence cafe food, M and I ended up heading out for dinner. We were kind of just wandering without a specific destination in mind though, and ended up at the used bookstore in the process.

I guess as a homage of sorts to childhood reads and nostalgic feelings, I ended up grabbing Gail Carson Levine's Ever - I'd been meaning to read it anyway, having loved the likes of Ella Enchanted, Fairest, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, etc. I actually just finished it tonight! Alas, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I'd loved the others, but it's still a worthwhile read for the MG segment. Thinking of passing it on to my sister.

Your turn now - what was in your mailbox this week?

Enclave Release Day & Trailer

2011-04-12T23:54:00.004-04:00

So I think by now, we've all noticed that I'm a bit of a sucker for dystopian YA at the moment - more, more, more, I say! And today marks the release of another that adds to that number:

Enclave by Ann Aguirre released today, from Feiwel & Friends (of Macmillan)! Woohoo, happy release day! The synopsis sounds pretty awesome, check it out:

And while you're here & have Enclave on the brain, watch the super cool trailer for it as well:

Isn't the trailer deliciously intriguing? And as far as book trailers go, this is definitely one of the better done ones. You can find more information here or here.

Cheers :)

Interview: Marie Lu

2011-04-09T15:28:00.001-04:00

I'm very excited about today's guest, for a number of reasons. I first discovered Marie Lu as an amazing artist on DeviantART - her illustrations and animations are very appealing. And then of course finding out that she was an aspiring writer made her that much more awesome. Admiration continued to grow upon realizing how skilled she was at writing. The fact that she writes dystopian stories (what I predominantly read nowadays) was simply icing on the cake!

In any case, it came as no surprise when Marie signed with agent extraordinaire Kristin Nelson. From there, things progressed amazingly - book deals, movie rights... Her debut, Legend, is due to be release November 29th of this year from Penguin. In any case, be sure to check out the Legend page on her site for a cool trailer and badass synopsis!

Presenting... Marie Lu:

Summarize LEGEND in twenty words while tossing in as many alliterations as you can.
Teen troublemaking criminal takes on teen detective prodigy in a
totalitarian United States. Gah--this one's hard. I fail!

Not a fail - that's pretty good! Words of wisdom - what do you do when the muse has gone on vacation?
I'll usually go off and re-read one of my favorite books, which
usually helps to stimulate my muse. Watership Down, Harry Potter, and The Giver, to name a few. Also, whenever I have writer's block, I tend to draw a lot. It helps me take a break from writing but still stay in the world of my manuscript. I also eat copious amounts of food, which are not really words of wisdom. You can always tell when I'm stuck on writing because I start gaining weight.

Food's always good, though ;) If you lived in LEGEND's world, would you be a citizen of the Republicor the Colonies? Which sector?
Since the Colonies aren't described until Legend 2, I'd have to say I would be a citizen of the Republic. Ruby sector sounds pretty good, because at least it's a wealthy sector and I could live lavishly, like June (my girl protagonist). Then again, if I lived in the slums with Day (my boy protagonist), I'd probably have more adventures.

How do you think the visual artist aspect of your creative psyche affects your writing, if at all?
I think drawing helps my writing tremendously. When I start a new story idea, I almost always sketch my characters before I do any actual writing. Visualizing them on paper helps me get a better idea of who they are.

That sounds awesome, having a visual representation of your characters! If you had to pick a dystopian world to live in (from any medium released thus far, be it movies, books, etc.), which would you choose?
Good question! Hmm....I'd probably pick the dystopian world in Ally Condie's MATCHED. I mean, it's still oppressive, but at least the streets are clean and you get daily hot meals. Aside from the whole "no free thinking" part, it's not too bad a dystopia to get stuck in, right? The Hunger Games' world is probably the one I'd least want to live in--knowing my luck, I'd definitely "win" the Reaping and have toenter the Games. And I'd be one of the first to die!

Mm, participating in the Hunger Games would be horrific indeed. Recently, LEGEND's film rights have been sold in a pre-empt - is there a dream cast that you envision playing your characters?
I'm so excited about CBS Films and Temple Hill working on LEGEND! For a few characters, I do have actors in mind who at least closely resemble those characters. For example, I wrote June's older brother Metias with Ben Barnes already in mind. Hailee Steinfeld looks really good for June--she has an international type of look, and she's athletic, sharp, and pretty. I haven't seen an actor that looks like Day, though, since he's a Mongolian/Russian mix. The closest would be
a young Leonardo DiCaprio (from his Romeo + Juliet days), with maybe some more Asian features thrown in. Of course, none of this is up to me. :)

Haha, it'll still be interesting to see how their choices compare though. Are there any interesting stories to share about your writing/publishing journey thus far? (ie in terms of The Call, finding out about movie rights, etc.)
Yes! The day of The Call (or series of calls), when my agent Kristin and I accepted Penguin's offer, was probably the happiest day of my life. It's probably too long to tell here in its entirety, but I did blog about that day: http://mree.deviantart.com/journal/34840707/ .
Also, when we publicly announced LEGEND's film rights being sold to CBS Films/Temple Hill, Wyck Godfrey (producer on the Twilight Saga) called me with a very kind, personal congratulations. He said, "I'm taking a break on the set of Breaking Dawn right now." He couldn't see me over the phone, but I literally fell backward into bed from shock. Isaac Klausner, another Twilight producer, also called me that day. I was so starstruck.

That must've been such a surreal moment. Draw a quick sketch of a scene from LEGEND?
Probably the closest to a LEGEND scene I've sketched so far:
http://bit.ly/fF7sz9

Nicely done! Do you have any specific writing rituals/particular quirks?
I'm not a very quirky writer, but I do have to write in the morning. I'm such a morning person. If I don't get my daily writing done before noon, I probably won't have the motivation to do it at all.

Music or silence?
Music! Specifically, epic soundtracks. More specifically, soundtracks from the studio Two Steps From Hell.

Writing in public places or in serene solitude?
Serene solitude, like the good hermit I am.

Any literary crushes?
Dorian Gray. (This might be because Ben Barnes played him in the film.) Jem (The Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare), Sydney Carton (A Tale of Two Cities), Peter Pan, and Alcuin (Kushiel's Dart, by Jacqueline Carey).

Worthy choices. Can you share any tidbits about future projects / current WIPs?
I can't share too much yet, but I do have another YA series in mind after the Legend trilogy is done. It might also involve vigilante boys, and may or may not involve magic. That was specific, wasn't it?

Haha, not particularly specific, but it sounds intriguing nonetheless! Thank you so much for dropping by, Marie!

Let's have a huge round of [virtual] applause for her, and be sure to drop by MarieLu.org! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (31)

2011-04-06T01:02:00.001-04:00

The Predicteds - Christine Seifert

*September 1st, 2011 Sourcebooks Fire

So there doesn't seem to be a synopsis for this one out yet, but from what can be inferred from the title, tag line and cover, it seems like it's going to be an awesome book! Love the fragmented / pixelated effect.

The line "are you really who they say you are?" sounds like it may potentially hint at mystery or sci fi - either of which would be really cool. As for "what if your boyfriend was destined to commit murder" - hmm, if we're dealing with fate / destiny, then there's definitely potential for lots of philosophical exploration.

Definitely looking forward to getting more information on this one! What're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine
*Apparently I can't count very well, because the last WoW is labelled as #30, but the one before that is #28... oops. shh :P

iPhone 5: 2 Screens?

2011-04-05T14:37:00.002-04:00

It's no secret that rumours about Apple's iPhone 5 have been running rampant on the internet these days. Now, you may recall that in the past month, there was a huge discussion going on about a sliding component to the iPhone 5, which many people speculated hinted at a slide-out keyboard.

Now, that [mock-up] definitely looks a) bizarre b) impractical and c) not very Apple-esque. Honestly, with the built-in keyboard, having a chunky, physical slide-out keyboard makes zero sense. BUT -

Could the sliding component possibly indicate a second sliding screen? Think Nintendo DS-style - a secondary screen that could be used or hidden at one's leisure... It would contribute to multi-tasking, it would expand the amount of screen space usable, it would make a hell of a lot more sense as an explanation for the sliding mechanism than a physical keyboard...

What do you guys think? Is it possible that the iPhone 5 will carry a secondary slide-out screen?

Disclaimer: Obviously this is just speculation on my part; I'm not officially affiliated with Apple in any way.

The Hunger Games Casting (Leading Trio)

2011-04-04T15:05:00.001-04:00

So the line-up for the leading trio of The Hunger Games film has been recently released:

Jennifer Lawrence (20) as Katniss Everdeen

Josh Hutcherson (18) as Peeta Mellark

Liam Hemsworth (21) as Gale

To be honest, based on purely physical features, these actors aren't exactly how I'd envisioned the characters as I was reading the series. In terms of merit / skill... I guess only time will tell.

It's a little ironic that Peeta is supposed to be blonde, but the actor is a brunette, while Gale is supposed to be darker haired, but has a relatively blonde guy portraying him. But altering physical appearances is no big deal for Hollywood these days.

How do you guys feel about the recent castings? Who were you hoping for?

In My Mailbox [48]

2011-04-02T15:51:00.000-04:00

Tuesday this week was an excellent day, filled with many positive aspects. And one of the great things that happened that day? Receiving Wither by Lauren DeStefano in the mail from Simon & Schuster! (Thanks, M!)

I've been looking forward to this book for months (and featured it in WoW while I was at it), so needless to say, it was very exciting. Despite having tons of stuff to do, I couldn't resist starting Wither almost immediately, and ended up staying up until the wee hours of morning to finish it. Well worth it though! A full review will be coming soon, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

What was in your mailbox this week?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Accomplice or Mind Gap!

Giveaway: Mind Gap

2011-03-31T23:58:00.008-04:00

Fourteen-year-old Jake MacRae''s life is spinning out of control. He''s making all the wrong choices - gambling, drinking, hanging around gang members - and now he''s been asked to make a "special delivery." What should he do? Jake knows either way that his decision will seal his fate, but what he doesn''t realize is that this choice might not only destroy his life but the lives of those close to him.

Before Jake has a chance to make up his mind, he receives a mysterious text message inviting him to a flash party on a midnight subway train. As Jake steps off the platform and onto the ghostly 1950s-style Gloucester car, he has no idea he has just boarded a train bound for his worst nightmare. And what''s more - he can''t get off!

In another collaborative effort with Dundurn, Lucid Conspiracy is pleased to present a giveaway for a copy of Mind Gap by Marina Cohen! More information about Mind Gap can be found on the Dundurn website (including a trailer) or on Marina Cohen's site.

And now for the logistics of the contest:

Open to residents (/mailing addresses) in the US & Canada.

Contest closes April 9th at 11:59 pm EST.

First entry is just for submitting name & e-mail.

Additional entries:
+ 1 per link to the contest
+ 1 for checking out Dundurn's site & commenting with another book you found interesting
+ 1 for blog followers
+ 1 for commenting on any review or interview
+ 1 for totaling up entries

Entry Form Here

Good luck! (And don't forget to enter to win Accomplice as well!)

Interview: Beth Revis

2011-03-29T22:07:00.007-04:00

Last week, I posted a gushing review extolling the many virtues of Across the Universe. One of the key things mentioned was that it was very thought-provoking. Well, how fitting is it then, that we have none other than the amazing author herself, the formidable Beth Revis, joining us to answer some questions!

Let's kick it off with a question that's become a bit of a Lucid Conspiracy staple: summarize ACROSS THE UNIVERSE in twenty words - include as many alliterations as you can.

A mysterious murder amid mindless men whilst travelling through SPACE!

Well done! Words of wisdom - what do you do when the muse has gone on vacation?

I don't have a muse. I just have a sore butt--because I make myself sit down in my chair and go at it.

Ah, an advocate for the BIC method, I see. If you were aboard the Godspeed, what role would you fulfill/where would you be?

I'd be one of the crazies in the Hospital Ward. Probably like Victria, the writer, although I hope I'd be less bitter than her...

Can definitely see the writer thing happening ;) There are a lot of interesting, philosophical aspects of human nature explored in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Which concept did you feel was most important to entertain and explore in this novel?

I like to think that I raised the question of nature versus nurture, but that I left it open enough for the reader to answer himself.

If you had to pick a dystopian world to live in, which would you choose? [e.g. the world of The Hunger Games]

Oh! Oh dear, that's very bleak, isn't it? Hmmm... definitely NOT The Hunger Games...I guess I'd pick Veronica Roth's world in DIVERGENT.

Really looking forward to that one - and by the sounds of it, you enjoyed it as well! In the centuries since the Godspeed has departed from Earth, what has happened to our green and blue planet?

Ah! I can't tell you! *evil author grin* I'll quote an awesome Doctor Who character, River Song, and simply say: "Spoilers!"

Mm - I like the implication there! Why did you write ACROSS THE UNIVERSE?

I love to write, and I had what I thought was a cool twist for a story, and this is the result.

And what a great result it is, indeed. Do you think it's scientifically feasible for humans to inhabit another planet or moon?

Yes, absolutely. We grow exponentially every year, both in intellect and population. I think it's inevitable, actually.

Well, if humans are to survive a solar demise, this may be the way to go. Do you think there is intelligent life on other worlds?

I don't know. Space is VAST. But the miracle of intelligent life is so...miraculous. Has it been replicated? I don't know. I think it much more likely (and probable) that there is unintelligent life on other worlds.

Hmm. Do you have any specific writing rituals/particular quirks?

Nope! I just sit down and do it!

Any literary crushes?

Well, it's not from a book, but...I really wish I could either have my own Doctor (Doctor Who) or my own Captain Mal (Firefly).

Worthy choices! Are there any interesting tidbits about future projects / current WIPs that you're able to share?

I'm in the midst of editing A MILLION SUNS, the sequel to ACROSS THE UNIVERSE right now. I can only say one thing: that two things you think are true in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE are actually lies...

Oh boy, definitely very intrigued to see how that plays out. (What a great title for the sequel, by the way :) Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for interviewing me!

And thank you, Beth, for giving me the chance to pick your brain!

Giveaway: Accomplice

2011-03-28T16:00:00.008-04:00

Lexie Malton is an average Vancouver teen with fairly typical issues. Her stepmother is far from her favourite person, she has a sister with special needs, and life outside the home is the usual mix of school, friends, and social events.

But Lexie has a secret. Her ex-boyfriend, Devlin Mather, is now a heroin addict living on the street, and only Lexie knows that she's the one who put him there. Guilt makes her give in to Devlin's demands for money time and time again, even though she knows how dangerous his drug use is.

Lexie finally gathers the strength to stop enabling Devlin. But when he seeks treatment for his addiction, Lexie finds herself drawn back to him, never guessing what a dark and deadly path she has just chosen.

Devlin relapses, and his desperation leads to an act that will change both of their lives forever.

In conjunction with Dundurn, Lucid Conspiracy is pleased to present a giveaway for a copy of Accomplice by Valerie Sherrard! You can find out more information about Accomplice on the Dundurn website or on Valerie's blog.

And now for the logistics of the contest:

Open to residents (/mailing addresses) in the US & Canada.

Contest closes April 7th at 11:59 pm EST.

First entry is just for submitting name & e-mail.

Additional entries:
+ 1 per link to the contest
+ 1 for checking out Dundurn's site & commenting with another book you found interesting
+ 1 for blog followers
+ 1 for totaling up entries

Entry Form Here

And away we go, good luck! :)

In My Mailbox [47]

2011-03-26T22:51:00.006-04:00

Since the last In My Mailbox post, I've received:

`Mercy by Jodi Picoult (courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada - thanks, guys!)

` a Luminous bookmark (courtesy of author Dawn Metcalf - thanks!)

What've you received lately?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

Across the Universe Review

2011-03-22T20:32:00.007-04:00

Across the Universe - Beth Revis

*January 11th, 2011 Razorbill

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Beth Revis' Across the Universe is one of the best science fiction books I've read in awhile. With brilliant prose, exhilarating characters and explorations of the meaning of humanity, Across the Universe is highly thought-provoking and lingers with you long after the last page has been turned.

Last August, I posted about the trend towards longer books these days in YA. At almost 400 pages and larger than standard size, Across the Universe falls into the heftier category. And like I've said about a lot of longer books - it's unnecessarily so. The beginning was kind of slow and dragged a little. I actually took a break of a few weeks after the first two hundred pages, but then yesterday I picked it back up. And man, were the last two hundred pages ever amazing! It's unfortunate that the beginning didn't quite carry the same momentum.

Honestly, Across the Universe just has so much going for it. To start off with, the silhouette effect and stars on the cover are simply gorgeous. The world that Revis creates is amazingly realistic - the emotions are almost tangible, the descriptions practically transport [the reader] onto Godspeed [the ship] along with the characters. The characters - especially the leading MCs - are very interesting people. Yes, people - because they feel real, and after you finish the book, they feel like people you know, rather than characters made of words on a printed page.

I also absolutely loved the plot twists in Across the Universe. Sure, there were some that a more cognizant reader would be able to figure out (some before the characters do) - but then there are still so many more surprises left over. We, the audience, are like Amy - encountering the strange, contained world on this ship for the same time, constantly discovering new things.

One of the key aspects of truly successful dystopian literature is to be thought-provoking, to challenge stigmas and turn those preconceived notions upside down and inside out. Revis does that phenomenally with Across the Universe. In the vivid world on-board Godspeed, expected norms are challenged, boundaries are pushed and humanity is questioned. There's social satire, there's political critique, there's strategical intrigue...

In short, Across the Universe is a brave read. It isn't afraid to be controversial, to push the boundaries of "acceptability" in society. It optimally utilizes the vessel of dystopian fiction to satirize society today and provoke long and hard thinking.

For those seeking dystopian literature with a little more substance, a little more depth, a little more edginess, Beth Revis caters perfectly with Across the Universe.

New Reads for Old Series

2011-03-20T00:01:00.006-04:00

Sisterhood Everlasting - Ann Brashares (June 14th, 2011)

I was so excited to discover that there was going to be a fifth book to follow up with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I love Bridget and Lena and Tibby and Carmen and all the secondary characters as well. They're all so real! (In fact, I even signed up for summer soccer - for 3 years, no less - because, hey, Bridget plays soccer!) But most of all, I love Brashares' writing. I love the diction choice, the phrasing, the voice. There are so many memorable quotes that have just stuck with me, even though it's been years.

The Last Little Blue Envelope - Maureen Johnson (April 26th, 2011)
Again, Johnson is another writer who's prose I adore. It's quirky and fun, unique and amusing. And similarly here, 13 Little Blue Envelopes (the first book) is one that really resonated with me. The whole concept of bumming around Europe, just kind of getting off the grid for awhile, living with freedom and gusto, experiencing a boho sort of life ... it really appeals to me. Especially in the past month, while the beginning tendrils of panic about finding something to do for this summer have begun to curl in, I've been thinking a lot about what it'd be like, to have that kind of bohemian freedom. But realistically speaking, even though my parents are very flexible and modern for Asian parents, being a professor and an engineer, they're pretty rational - bumming around for the sake of it without direction the summer after first year university would be still be pushing it.

Live vicariously through books, right?

I think, at the same time, because what little time I have for for-fun reading is spent on dystopian / science fiction / futuristic speculative fiction these days, I don't really read books like [these ones above] any more. A throwback to old times, perhaps - some nostalgic reading in the vein of what I used to, a few years ago.

Just reminiscing.

Waiting on Wednesday (30)

2011-03-16T10:15:00.001-04:00

Wither (Chemical Garden #1) - Lauren DeStefano
*March 22nd, 2011 Simon & Schuster

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

I've been waiting in anticipation for this book for a good couple of months now. First off, it's a YA dystopian (have I mentioned that I absolutely love dystopian?) - and it's a trilogy. The synopsis sounds highly intriguing, and the cover looks amazing.

I read the first chapter here a few months ago, and was highly impressed with the writing style. Check it out for sure, if you haven't already.

And once you've done that, I'm sure you'll see why I'm waiting on Wither this Wednesday. But what about you, what're you waiting for?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Teaser Tuesday {5}

2011-03-15T10:10:00.001-04:00

__________

She’s a dreamer, a dancer, absolutely divine. She sits at her vanity, back ramrod straight and eyes staring at the reflection in the mirror. Her head turns to the side and thin, tapered fingers reach up drape her head with pearls; a perfectly rounded stud in each ear, a chain around her neck.

She’s a rebel, a reveller, absolutely ravishing. She runs a brush through her pink hair, the fluffy comfort of bubblegum and cotton candy. Her luscious lips blow out a lazy plume of smoke, arching through the air; they twist and flex like biceps and triceps, muscles corded with strength.

She’s a social butterfly, a fragile beauty. She picks up her Blackberry and taps out an e-mail, fingers flying quickly, mind on autopilot. I love you.

She’s a liar.

A Shore Thing Review

2011-03-14T09:19:00.002-04:00

A Shore Thing - Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi

*January 4th, 2011 Gallery Books

It’s a summer to remember . . . at the Jersey Shore.

Giovanna “Gia” Spumanti and her cousin Isabella “Bella” Rizzoli are going to have the sexiest summer ever. While they couldn’t be more different—pint-size Gia is a carefree, outspoken party girl and Bella is a tall, slender athlete who always holds her tongue—for the next month they’re ready to pouf up their hair, put on their stilettos, and soak up all that Seaside Heights, New Jersey, has to offer: hot guidos, cool clubs, fried Oreos, and lots of tequila.

So far, Gia’s summer is on fire. Between nearly burning down their rented bungalow, inventing the popular “tan-tags” at the Tantastic Salon where she works, and rescuing a shark on the beach, she becomes a local celebrity overnight. Luckily, she meets the perfect guy to help her keep the flames under control. Firefighter Frank Rossi is exactly her type: big, tan, and Italian. But is he tough enough to handle Gia when things really heat up?

Bella is more than ready for some fun in the sun. Finally free of her bonehead ex-boyfriend, she left home in Brooklyn with one goal in mind: hooking up with a sexy gorilla for a no-strings-attached summer fling. In no time, she lands a job leading “Beat Up the Beat” dance classes at a local gym, and is scooped up by Beemer-driving, preppy Bender Newberry. Only problem: Bella can’t get her romantic and ripped boss Tony “Trouble” Troublino out of her head. He’s relationship material. Suddenly, Bella’s not sure what she wants.

The cousins soon realize that for every friend they make on the boardwalk, there are also rivals, slummers, and frenemies who will do anything to ruin their summer—and try their relationship. Before July ends, the bonds of family and friendship will be stretched to the breaking point. Will the haters prevail, or will Gia and Bella find love at the Shore?

Okay, okay - I know what you're thinking - you're judging right now, aren't you? Don't judge! Sure, Snooki's A Shore Thing may not be heavy on the literary, or particularly academic reading material, but at the same time, it's very Jersey Shore. It's the kind of book where it's just a fun, shallow story that doesn't require a lot of thinking. (Which is definitely a more relaxed contrast to the heaviness of say, Marx, Weber, etc.)

The whole book is very definitively "Snooki", from characters, to names, to plot. From the get-go, MCs Gia & Bella are introduced with nicknames in quotation marks, following the Snooki-model to a T. In terms of actual book content, a lot of it seems to mirror aspects of Snooki (& co.) from Jersey Shore. For example, hair poufs, fuzzy slippers, pickles, lack of bowel control, nicknames, etc.

The ending did seem a little abrupt and didn't seem most fitting, considering all the drama that went into the lead-up. But at the same time, it ends in such a way that it seems, like the rest of the novel, very Snooki-esque.

Although not deep nor philosophical, A Shore Thing is a guilty pleasure sort of read in the exact same vein as the hugely popular Jersey Shore.

An Update

2011-03-13T16:30:00.004-04:00

Ahoy, all - long time no see! Alas, it's been awhile since [Lucid Conspiracy] has had a real update, and I apologize for that and for being MIA the last couple of weeks.

Mid-term season has been pretty brutal, but things are expected to slow down a little for the next couple of weeks before we get to Finals. And hopefully, in that time, Lucid Conspiracy will come back, thriving & fighting :)

As you can see, Lucid Conspiracy's gotten a new look make-over. With a new & improved structural foundation, here's to the content following being also of the new & improved genre. Cheers!

PS - Any opinions on the new look?

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

2011-02-23T10:10:00.001-05:00

Where She Went - Gayle Forman
*April 5th, 2011 Dutton Juvenile

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

I reviewed If I Stay back in June, and rather enjoyed it, so it'll be great to see where the story goes next in the follow-up. This is one that's built up quite a reputation with the first book so anticipation for the second is high! Let's see how it measures up :)

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Waiting on Wednesday (28)

2011-02-09T09:05:00.001-05:00

Through Her Eyes - Jennifer Archer
*April 5th, 2011 HarperTeen

Sixteen-year-old Tansy Piper moves with her grandfather and her mother, a horror writer, to the setting of her mother's next book--a secluded house outside of a tiny, desolate West Texas town. Lonely and upset over the move, Tansy escapes into her photography and the dark, seductive poems she finds hidden in the cellar, both of which lure her into the mind and world of a mysterious, troubled young man who died sixty years earlier.

Sounds like elements of horror, which is something that's been a little lacking in the YA sphere lately. And woohoo for MCs who're into photography (e.g. Katie Alender's Bad Girls Don't Die).

What's your pick this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Waiting on Wednesday (27)

2011-02-02T10:15:00.001-05:00

Entwined - Heather Dixon
*March 29th, 2011 Greenwillow Books

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.
The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.
Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.
But there is a cost.
The Keeper likes to keep things.
Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

How cool a name is Azalea? It sounds like a twist on The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Fractured fairy tales are always interesting (think Gail Carson Levine or Margaret Peterson Haddix), so it's great to see another one.

'The Keeper' sounds kind of omnious, don't you you think?

What're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Nightshade Review

2011-02-01T12:51:00.001-05:00

Nightshade - Andrea Cremer

*October 19th, 2010 Philomel

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

With Nightshade Andrea Cremer has created an enchanting world so similar to our own, yet so different.

Let's face it - there have been a lot of trends lately in the YA realm. Most notably, vampires, zombies, werewolves. Well, Nightshade is, in essence, a story about human-wolf beings - werewolves, if you will. Yet at the same time, it's so much more than that. In Nighshade Cremer has created an entire mythos for her werewolves - an interesting and unique mythology that's a completely fresh take on things.

Which is one of the major winning points for Nightshade. The whole concept of their packs, the hierarchies, the interactions between the different members, the backstory behind the whole thing ... it's all very unique and enticing.

However, at just over 450 pages and larger than mass market book-size, Nightshade is pretty hefty - unncessarily so, in fact. The story starts out a little slow, and it honestly feels like the tale could've been told a bit more succinctly. There are places where it drags a little and others where it's quite predictable and [the reader] figures it out, but it seems to take the characters another good ten or more pages to do the same.

It's also great to see Calla (the MC/leading lady) as a strong and capable female character. She's a pretty badass wolf and fully capable of protecting herself - the antithesis of a damsel-in-distress. However, strong feminists beware because here's where it gets a little contradictory. Calla's portrayed as a strong female, and then pages - even mere paragraphs - later, she's objectified by males, which in turn basically undermines half her characterization. With the whole 'danger allure' (like many other YA books out there these days *cough*), Nightshade doesn't exactly portray an ideal example of a healthy relationship.

In spite of all that, with great writing, unique mythology and lots of action, Cremer's Nightshade is still a highly enjoyable read. So am I planning on checking out the two follow-ups, Wolfsbane and Bloodrose? You betcha!

Andrea Cremer } { Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

2011-01-26T13:27:00.001-05:00

Clarity - Kim Harrington
*March 1st, 2011 Scholastic Point

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Paranormal murder mystery, ooh! There's not a lot of that in YA these days, so it'll be interesting to see how Kim Harrington has executed this.

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

The Mockingbirds Review

2011-01-25T00:30:00.003-05:00

The Mockingbirds - Daisy Whitney

*November 2nd, 2010 Little, Brown

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

In The Mockingbirds, Daisy Whitney uses a very intriguing medium to draw attention to a tragic - but nonetheless very real - issue: date rape. With interesting context, literary references and kids-next-door characters, Whitney explores this issue in a thought-provoking manner.

Having just started university this year, there was a fair amount of time spent on the issue of date rape during Frosh Week - there was a play on it (the performer was amazing! She chose to write & perform said play due to her own experience with date rape) and information session. Unfortunately, this is an issue that is altogether too real these days. It's mentioned in the back of The Mockingbirds that Whitney herself experienced it during her frosh year of college.

As such, it's great to see [Whitney] getting the message out there and raising awareness about this. This is one of those issues that doesn't always have a clear right/wrong side to it, so it's admirable that Whitney chose to have Alex, the main character, involved in a slightly more ambiguous situation.

The Mockingbirds also draws reference to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and several Shakespearean works. It's always great to see YA books paying homage to other literary pieces. And I must say, the concept of the Mockingbirds (the group) is certainly a very intriguing and well laid out one!

Alex's journey through The Mockingbirds - and that of those who become involved in it - is definitely one that starts out very unfortunately, but towards the end, there's a note of hope, a concept of "light at the end of the tunnel", if you will. As such, The Mockingbirds is a very important book, dealing with an important issue.

Daisy Whitney's The Mockingbirds was ranked 7th on Lucid Conspiracy's Top 10 YA Reads of 2010 list lately. Definitely one worth checking out!

Daisy Whitney } { Goodreads

In My Mailbox [46]

2011-01-22T21:15:00.001-05:00

For Review:

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
XVI by Julia Karr
(Thanks Penguin!)

Won From Contests:

Grave Witch by Kalayna Price (Thanks Brooke!)
A Shore Thing by Snooki (Thanks S&S!)

Misc

A Like Mandarin postcard (autographed) (Thanks Kirsten!)

This is basically a culmination of stuff received at my residence mailing address since ~mid-December. Back to the grind now though :( However, be sure to keep an eye out these days - many reviews to come! :)

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

Waiting on Wednesday (25)

2011-01-19T13:10:00.001-05:00

So Shelly - Ty Roth
*February 8th, 2011 Delacorte

Until now, high school junior, John Keats, has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.

After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.

Literary references! Keats! Shelly! There's something very haunting about the premise, and it sounds like it might have Romantic elements, so it'll definitely be interesting to see how this plays out.

Furthermore, how awesome is the mood in the cover image? Love the font on "shelly" as well.

What're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Waiting on Wednesday (24)

2011-01-12T12:49:00.001-05:00

Human .4 - Mike A. Lancaster
*March 8th, 2011 EgmontUSA

Humanity, like computers, can be upgraded. And old versions disappear. . . .
At some unspecified point in the future, when technology is as advanced as possible and we are a race of super beings, some old audio tapes are discovered. On the tapes is the story of fourteen-year-old Kyle Straker.
Hypnotized, Kyle missed the upgrade of humanity to 1.0. He isn't compatible with our new technology. And through the recording, he narrates what the upgrades really mean. And it's absolutely terrifying.
Sci-fi futuristic and technological apocalypse in the style of War of the Worlds, I am Legend and The X-Files.

The premise of this sounds great - the concept of humanity mixed with technology, futuristic and apocalyptic... Mmmm.

Very curious about the title as well. Plus, what a great cover!

What're you waiting on this Wednesday?

*WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

Launching Across The Universe

2011-01-11T15:37:00.001-05:00

(Image by Jeremy)

So you may remember my excitement last Wednesday when I WoWed Beth's Revis' Across The Universe. Well, today brings us the day of the launch, woohoo!

In celebration of that, let's have some awesome Across the Universe-themed goodies :)

Let's start off with an interview with the awesome author Beth Revis:

How much fun is that interactive video? I love how the interview feels very personal and professional - definitely amps up the excitement for Across The Universe. So of course the next logical step would be to check out the book trailer:

How haunting is that narration? I think Lauren Ambrose did a beautiful job with the voice and emotion behind the words. Check out the official Across the Universe website and explore the Godspeed - I think it's especially cool how there's a produce greenhouse & everything is grown there - self-sustaining!

Still not hooked yet? Then check out io9 to read the first 111 pages of Across the Universe (they'll be available from 11:11am to 11:11pm EST today)!

Across the Universe's web presence:

Facebook fanpage } { Website

Beth Revis' web presence:

Website } { Blog } { Twitter

Penguin's web presence:

Website } { Twitter } { Facebook fanpage

See you across the universe! :)

In My Mailbox [45]

2011-01-09T00:23:00.001-05:00

So technically this wasn't in my mailbox, nor is it a book, but I figured it was still worth sharing:

I was at Chapters.Indigo today and ended up getting a Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay t-shirt! (It's actually just one shirt -the front view is shown on the left and the back view is shown on the right.) I hadn't realized there was so much THG merchandise out already - board games, magnets, stickers, keychains, shirts, you name it!

I'm pretty excited to start wearing it; it'll definitely be cool to see if anyone else recognizes the meaning behind it and mention it.

To find some of my previous posts on: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay.

What was in your mailbox this week?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

The DUFF Review

2011-01-08T09:30:00.002-05:00

The DUFF - Kody Keplinger

*September 7th, 2010 Little Brown/Poppy

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

With The DUFF, young author Kody Keplinger has crafted a raw, gritty and real read. If the fact that The DUFF recently made 3rd place in my Top 10 YA Reads of 2010 List is any indication, it's basically a read that's definitely worth checking out!

The leading lady, Bianca, is a very strong-minded and rather badass female character. She's brash and tells it how it is. It's always great to see strong female leads who have a mind of their own and aren't afraid to express their opinions. Like mentioned earlier, as far as contemporary novels go, The DUFF is fairly gritty and real - and as such it does contain some explicit language and scenes. (In my opinion, it's well within acceptable range, doesn't even strike controversial territory, but it is something to be aware of.)

Wesley is also a very interesting character. It was definitely impressive to see his issues, because that added an extra facet of depth and realism to his character, which in turn upped the credibility. And hey, he does kind of appeal to the whole rebellious-bad-boy-fantasy aspect of teen [female] readers.

With great witty banter, it's definitely visualize-able how The DUFF could be turned into an amusing romantic comedy movie (movie rights have already been sold). There were a few slight issues here and there with credibility - specific snippets of dialogue or parts of scenes - didn't ring quite as true as they might've. There was one thing - that's just not how the school handles that in real life. At times the "morals" of the story did seem to be pounded in a little more directly than necessary.

All in all, Keplinger has created a super-fun and enjoyable contemporary story with The DUFF.

Kody Keplinger } { Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (23)

2011-01-05T12:42:00.004-05:00

Across the Universe - Beth Revis
*January 11th, 2010 Razorbill

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone--one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship--tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Doesn't the premise of this sound ah-mazing? I read the first chapter here a few months ago, and was instantly intrigued! The first bit actually reminded me a bit of KA Applegate's Remnants series, so definitely interested to see where this goes.

Futuristic science fiction that takes place in deep space? Sign me up! (When I was little, like around 10, 11~ish, I wanted to be an astronomer.) Best part yet? It releases in less than a week now!

What're you waiting on this Wednesday?

Rot & Ruin Review

2011-01-02T20:56:00.001-05:00

Rot & Ruin - Jonathan Maberry

*October 5th, 2010 Simon & Schuster

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

Zombies and the "zombie-apocalypse" have been pretty hot trends lately (and not just in YA books). Jonathan Maberry's Rot & Ruin is actually the first zombie-themed piece of entertainment that I've perused in a long while.

And what a piece of zombie-apocalypse it is!

I know I've been reading a lot of dystopia, a lot of post-apocalyptic stuff lately - most of which veers towards the science fiction side. Rot & Ruin creates a post-zombie-apocalyptic world that's both intriguing and immersing. It's a hard read to put down.

It's a little on the long side, at well over 400 pages, and I feel like the beginning could've been sped up so much more. Sure, it was backstory and all, but the writing could've been tightened and a bit more explanation could've been provided instead (rather than expecting readers to simply accept everything at face value). This in turn led to a few credibility issues, but for the most part it was fairly minor.

The characters are interesting and believable - because they each have character flaws. Definitely great to see that there aren't any Mary Sues/Gary Stus in Rot & Ruin. It's also cool to note that the main character, Benny Imura, is half Japanese (his brother Tom is fully Japanese). Although race isn't an issue that's explored in a major way here, the fact that it's referenced that the town is multicultural was very real to see.

At times it did feel like the "morals" of the story were being pounded in a little too hard and a little more show instead of tell could've been used. The action sequences were great, and the climax actually had action (yes!). Rot & Ruin tends to cater to the post-apocalyptic/zombie YA fan-base in general - it could be an enjoyable read for both guys and gals.

With action-packed adventure and interesting characters, Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry is an exciting and thought-provoking post-apocalyptic zombie read.

Jonathan Maberry } { Goodreads

*I've also just found out tonight that there will indeed be a follow-up, titled Dust & Decay (gosh, what a great title).

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T20:21:00.004-05:00

Here's to 2011; let's make it the best one yet! :)

Top 10 of 2010

2010-12-29T12:31:00.002-05:00

2010 has been an amazing year of YA books, so what better way to celebrate '10 than by compiling a list of 10 top reads? Now, to be fair, I do have to add the disclaimer that the following list is comprised only of books published this past year that I've read. Doubtless there're numerous other great books out there (many of which I've been meaning to read, but haven't gotten around to yet) that aren't included. But anyway, without further ado, let's start the countdown:

Let's go in reverse order: the nineth and tenth spots go to Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken (March 23rd, 2010 EgmontUSA) and Epitaph Road by David Patneaude (March 23rd, 2010 EgmontUSA), respectively. Brightly Woven had some really cool concepts and drew me back into the realm of fantasy. Epitaph Road was a very interesting take on a possible dystopian future of gender power reversal. Both are definitely very well worth reading!

---

Seventh and eighth go to Daisy Whitney's The Mockingbirds (November 2nd, 2010 Little Brown) and Elizabeth Scott's The Unwritten Rule (March 16th, 2010 Simon Pulse), respectively. Both of these are contemporary YA novels that were well-written with realistic characters and credible plot lines.

---

For fifth and sixth we have Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (March 2nd, 2010 Harper Collins) and All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab (January 12th, 2010 Delacorte). How could I not include these two? Both are contemporaries (although Before I Fall also has paranormal facets) that deal with mortality and the aftermath. Both are beautifully written and quite thought-provoking.

---

Next we have The Duff by Kody Keplinger (September 7th, 2010 Poppy/Little Brown) and Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready (May 4th, 2010 Simon Pulse). The Duff by teen author Kody is a funny and endearing contemporary novel with a very real, in-your-face attitude. Basically, it's a pretty badass read. Shade explores some very interesting concepts and creates an intriguing paranormal world very much like our own, yet quite different.

---

My top two picks for 2010 probably really won't come as a surprise. We have Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien (March 30th, 2010 Roaring Brook Press) and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (August 24th, 2010 Scholastic). Mockingjay... well, it's Mockingjay. Enough said. Birthmarked - well, we all know I've been gushing about this one a ton lately. It's dystopian (love!) and it's got great characters, a strong female protag, a juicy love interest, and a fast-paced, action-packed, exciting plot line. It's also great that there's more of a science element (hence science fiction, right?) in this one than some of its colleagues. There's something more educated about the writing, which is also great. Plus it was a ton of fun to interview Caragh earlier this year as well.

And there we have it - a spotlight on some of the best YA books of the year. What made the cut for your list this year?