In My Mailbox [10]

In My Mailbox is inspired by Alea and the brainchild of Kristi ...

Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters-One good...One evil...Who will prevail?Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets. Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.They just know they can't trust each other.
*Little, Brown August 1st, 2009.

I'm really excited about this one, after hearing all the great things about it so far. Thanks a ton for the book, Malinda!

Oh. My. Gods. - Tera Lynn Childs

A modern girl's comedic odyssey in a school filled with the descendants of Greek gods.
When Phoebe's mom returns from Greece with a new husband and moves them to an island in the Aegean, Phoebe's plans for her senior year and track season are ancient history. Now she must attend the uberexclusive academy, where admission depends on pedigree, namely, ancestry from Zeus, Hera, and other Greek gods. That's right, they're real, not myth, and their teen descendants are like the classical heroes—supersmart and superbeautiful with a few superpowers. And now they're on her track team! Armed only with her Nikes and the will to win, Phoebe races to find her place among the gods.

The premise of this sounds great, and hey, who doesn't love Greek mythology? Thanks a bunch for the book, Kate and Tera!

You Don't Know Me - David Klass
Hanging on to Max - Margaret Bechard

Thanks a bunch for the books, Bri!

Fairy Tale bookmarks & a magnet; aren't they just darling? Thanks, Cyn! Her debut novel Fairy Tale will be available from Delacorte on June 23rd, 2009.

So, what did you guys haul in this week?

Technorati & Digg

After seeing Presenting Lenore's post about Technorati, I was finally prodded enough to create a Technorati Profile.

Add to Technorati Favorites

If you've got one too, feel free to pop a link in the comments!
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And since this is turning into a bit of rampage, I went and registered for Digg as well; I can be found here. Any other Digg users out there who want to connect, again, just pop me a line.
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This week has been pretty much non-existent in terms of updates; things have been hectic, and I'm not feeling exactly 100% at the moment either, which kind of sucks. Hopefully everything will clear up this weekend. frd2hy48e

On the Cusp by ~deltay on deviantART

In My Mailbox [9]

Inspired by Alea and hosted by Kristi, Lucid Conspiracy presents In My Mailbox #9:

This week was pretty much fantastic. Awhile ago, I entered the Find Beauty Challenge hosted by the fabulous Justina Chen Headley. Anyway, my video ended up being the 3rd place winner of books, which was pretty exciting. This week, I got my prize and it happened to be a box of the following five books (all hardcovers!):

North of Beautiful - Justina Chen Headley

It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father.

When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler

My review can be found here.

Sleepaway Girls - Jen Calonita

When Sam's best friend gets her first boyfriend, she's not ready to spend the summer listening to the two of them call each other "pookie." Sick of being a third wheel, Sam applies to be a counselor-in-training at Whispering Pines camp in the New York Catskills. But what she doesn't realize is that it's not going to be all Kumbaya sing-alongs and gooey s'mores.

If Ashley, the alpha queen of Whispering Pines, doesn't ruin Sam's summer, then her raging crush on the surfer-blond and flirtatious Hunter just might. At least she has playful Cole, who's always teasing her, but is oh-so-comfortable to hang out with, and the singular gang of girls that become fast friends with Sam-they call themselves the Sleepaway Girls.

Ghostgirl - Tonya Hurley

Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul to keep.And if I should die before I awake,I pray the popular attend my wake.Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she's dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal. If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is.

Sweethearts - Sara Zarr

As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend. When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken.Sweethearts is a story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts.

Mackenzie, Lost and Found - Deborah Kerbel

Fifteen-year-old Mackenzie Hill knows something is up when she arrives home to find her father making a home-cooked dinner, instead of his standard delivery pizza. But nothing prepares her for the bombshell announcement: Mackenzie and her dad, alone since the death of her mother a year ago, are moving to Jerusalem, where her father has taken a position as a visiting professor at a university.

The adjustment from life in Canada to life in Israel is dramatic - though it's eased somewhat when Mackenzie is befriended by an American girl in her new school. The biggest shock of all comes when Mackenzie faces the wrath of her new friends, new community, and even her own father after she begins dating a Muslim boy.
*Thanks The Book Muncher and Deborah!

Rules for Life - Darlene Ryan

Rules # 41: If it’s dirty, wash it. If it’s hungry, feed it. If it’s broke, it’s Jason.
Izzy’s mother had a rule for every circumstance, and since her death Izzy has used those rules to get by. But now her dad is planning to get married—to a woman Izzy barely knows, her friend, Mrs. Mac, is sneaking contraband sausage and her big brother Jason is…well, being Jason. As Izzy tries to fix things she discovers that sometimes you have to make up the rules as you go along.

A touching, often funny story of love an acceptance, Rules for Life is a reminder that while we can’t choose the family we were born with, we can choose the people we take along for the ride.

Saving Grace - Darlene Ryan

Fifteen year-old Evie has kidnapped the child her father made her give up for adoption. On the run with her reluctant boyfriend and a sick baby, Evie struggles to figure out what being a mother really means.
Thanks Lauren and Darlene!

So there you have it; my week. Now, how was yours?

Twenty Boy Summer Review

Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler
*June 1st, 2009 Little, Brown and Company

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance.

Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

This may be Sarah Ockler's first appearance on the literary scene, but what a debut Twenty Boy Summer is! A recurrent theme throughout the novel is how deceiving appearances can be, from the surface point of view. The same applies here; from the gorgeous cover one might assume that it's a fun, light-hearted summer read. And it is - but it's also so much more.

The emotions in Twenty Boy Summer are portrayed beautifully and conveyed fantastically. Ockler's writing takes on an almost lyrical voice at times.

"I just swallow hard. Nod and smile. One foot in front of the other. I'm fine, thanks for not asking" (Ockler 273).

In fact, there are phrases which taken out of context or used by someone else, would seem to border on purple. But Ockler pulls it off beautifully to fit with the narration from Anna's first person present tense perspective. There are beautiful key phrases repeated throughout the course of the novel - if this were done amateurly, it could be disasterously cliche. Yet somehow Ockler makes it work so well. Kudos, for sure.

Let's face it; Twenty Boy Summer isn't exactly a plot-driven adventure story; it's more of an internal journey of its characters. And boy, does Ockler manage to characterize wonderfully. The leading lady, Anna, is a pretty brilliant; and the thing is, she sort of shares center stage with BFF Frankie. Yet despite being a first person narrative, both of their motives, perspectives, reasons... it all comes through loud and clear. Through Anna's memory flashbacks, the audience even gets a pretty distinct picture of Matt. And with a title like Twenty Boy Summer, you know there's just got to be some romantic aspect involving boys. As for Sam Macintosh? Ow-ow!

Twenty Boy Summer isn't exactly a light-hearted comedy; but it's not exactly grieving angst either. More than anything else, it's a hopeful, insightful view into the journey of the loved ones through the aftermath of a traumatic death. Visiting a significant place. Reliving those memories. Wondering what could have been done differently. Learning to cope, learning to move on, to bridge the gap left behind. It chronicles Anna and Frankie's transition from kids to young women, trying to find their place in the world after losing someone special. Of figuring out how far to go with keeping a secret promised to someone who's now dead. Of trying to understand parents.

The writing style really pulls you into the story, into Anna and Frankie's summer world. The descriptions are luciously vivid. The setting is timeless and almost surreal. But the story is very realistic. With a title like Twenty Boy Summer, you're not really sure what you'll be getting into. But that's just life - it's unpredictable. And that's just the story. In the aftermath, emotions are unpredictable, what's to come is unpredictable. The metaphors in here are striking.

Like its cover, Twenty Boy Summer is a beautiful read. And like that one piece of red sea glass in that shattered heart, this is one gem among the masses. Sarah Ockler is definitely one whose work will go far, so keep an eye out.

"Don't move, Anna Reiley. Right now, everything is perfect" (213).

Shrinking Violet Review

Shrinking Violet - Danielle Joseph
*May 5th, 2009 MTV Books
High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out -- doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather.

When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T -- and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize -- Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare...

Shrinking Violet - an undeniably unique title. And how befitting for a novel whose premise and leading lady are unique! Danielle Joseph's debut is a SLAMmin' success. There's something about the cover image that just pulls you in; kind of shy and in hiding, but at the same time, there's a mysterious, playful air underneath.

Such is the character of Tere Adams. Told from first person perspective from the infamous Sweet T/Tere herself in present tense, Shrinking Violet chronicles her inspiring journey from a painfully shy senior who barely speaks into an enviable young woman who's starting to understand herself. Tere tells it well - the voice in [the novel] is excellent. Quirky and fun, it's distinctively Tere. In her own words, "I was comfortable with my role as the quiet observer" (Joseph 42). And how well she observes the world! Small, unexpected cynically sarcastic comments along the way add a refreshing sort of amusement.

Tere's characterization was credible and relatable. Although most of us probably aren't nearly as shy as how Tere starts out, it's still easy to emphathize with her character. We've all experienced instances of wanting to say something, but feeling too shy, or self-conscious, or doubtful, to voice our opinion. We've all experienced instances of wanting to explain something, but being unable to. And (hopefully) we've all experienced the thrill of standing up for either ourselves or someone else when we see unjust treatment. Shrinking Violet will have readers feeling frustrated and wanting to help Tere out in the beginning. It's magnificent to watch her transition out of her shell, getting caught up in the emotions and feeling that triumphant "yay!" when she experiences successes.

Gavin was definitely an interesting character, as were Stacy and Audrey. However, I would've liked to see a little more depth and development of the supporting cast - but as it's told from Tere's perspective, it's fitting and realistic as is. Her mother, Rob, Jason, Derek, Pop-Tart (aka Kelly)... they're all likeable each in their own way. Each of their flaws only make them more realistic. And it's great to see how they evolve with, and aid, Tere in her journey of self-discovery.

There's a lot of subject matters out there which are now bordering on cliche, when it comes to YA. With Shrinking Violet, Joesph has managed to inject something new onto the scene. This focuses on radio stations and DJs, not exactly your typical reality t.v. And it's great to see more about what goes on behind the scenes, for radio programs. (In fact, the only other DJ/radio book that comes to mind at the moment is Sarah Dessen's Just Listen.) Music is an integral part of Tere's life - I would guess that's an aspect of her life that a lot of readers will be able to relate to. How many of you out there rely on music, while doing homework, running, just chilling...?

The plot... what can I say? Shrinking Violet is a cute YA story about one girl's incredible evolvement from being unbearably shy to being able to hold her own. But let's face it; when it comes to genre, you're not going to find much mystery with this. The ending was pretty predictable. But at the same time, in this context, the perfect-happy-go-lucky resolution works. Definitely an uplifting cheer-up type of read.

Unique concept, fun voice, intriguing characters... Shrinking Violet's definitely got the elements of a memorable debut. Sweet T.

In My Mailbox [8]

Inspired by Alea and hosted by Kristi, Lucid Conspiracy presents In My Mailbox #8...

Silver Phoenix Bookplate & Bookmark

Okay, so I'm too lazy to take a picture, and these (taken from Cindy's 's site) are much better quality anyway. The bookplate even had a personalized message!

"[Deltay] - Never stop chasing your dreams! xo Cindy"

Is the artwork gorgeous, or what?
Thanks, Cindy!

*I've also recently interviewed the formidable Cindy Pon - scroll down to read our conversation!

Little Oink - Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Jen Corace

From the creators of Little Pea and Little Hoot comes this tidy tale of a decidedly different pig. Little Oink is a neat little fellow. Clean, clean, clean, that's all he wants to do. But Mama and Papa won't have it! They say in order to be a respectable pig, he has to learn to make a proper mess. "Don't come out until your room is a pigsty," they chide. A humorous twist on a universal dilemma.

*Chronicle Books, Spring 2009.

Okay, so in my defense, this one was actually more for my little sister than me. (Yes, it's a picture book.)

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How was your week, & what did you receive?

Buttons & an Award

The multi-talented Kate from Green Skies (of The-Dark-Mark fame) was kind enough to make a series of 100x35 Lucid Conspiracy buttons for me. I figured I'd share them below; aren't they just darling? Thanks, Kate!
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Ack, sorry it's taken so long to finally put this up! Anyway, the lovely Dahlia of Dahlia's Eclectic Mind has nominated me for the Your Blog Rocks! Award, which is really awesome. Thanks a bunch, Dahlia!

The rules are:

1. Rockin' bloggers who are awarded should pass it on to up to 5 blogs that rock your world either for content, writing, layout, or whatever!

2. Be sure to display the badge on your blog and leave a link to the person who gave it to you.

3. Write a post about it, and don't forget to thank the one who gave you the gig!

4. Oh yeah, and be sure to inform your nominees about their award by leaving them a comment. It's just good manners.

As such, I nominate:

`Bri of What Bri Reads (Bri's Book Reviews)

`Steph Su of Steph Su Reads

`Jenny of Wondrous Reads

`Iryna of A Garden of Books

`Stephanie of Juiciliciousss Reviews

There are just so many rocking blogs out there, I wish I could nominate everyone! Alas, the rules state 5, so I figured I'd try and spread the wealth.

Interview: Cindy Pon

The fabulous Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix, which was recently released by Greenwillow Books. In addition to writing, Cindy also paints beautiful Chinese brush art. Visit her home on the web at CindyPon.com.Without further ado, Lucid Conspiracy presents...

Do you have a special thought process to come up with your ideas?
i don't. i'm pretty intuitive as a writer. i like to daydreamand think, and when things come to me, i'll mull them over.i also scribble things in a notebook or type it in my ideas document.usually, they make it into the novel. the ones that make mego A-HA! i call them diamond plops. they are wondrous things!

Diamond plops - I like it! What do you do when inspiration is lacking (i.e. the muse has gone on vacation)?
i just make myself write. i'm not a write very day type of writer, i've learned. i write in month spurts. revising, i canrevise forever. but rough drafting, i really have to just tell myself, i'm writing this month and i'll stop when i'm done.

What advice would you give to other young aspiring writers?
to keep reading. to read widely and beyond your favorite genres.to keep writing. to remember my mantra : I AM ALLOWED TO WRITE UTTER POO.
as writers, we tend to be our own worst critics and enemies.we can scare ourselves out of writing. believe me, i know!so keep writing and challenging yourself! as you will grow and come to find your own voice!

That's a good outlook on things. Words of wisdom - give a quote of personal significance?
i always abide by : expect nothing, be pleasantly surprised.

Oh, I really like that! Speaking of debut novels, let's talk about Silver Pheonix. It's pretty obvious that being of Chinese origin has had some impact on the setting of the story - but would you say that it had any influence on the writing itself or your career choice?
i think the setting most certainly did affect my writing.i couldn't write in a voice that was entirely modern or "western".i could write in my cali speak of whatevers, dudes and mans. ha!i felt the prose and voice had to lend itself to the feel of anotherworld and culture--and i hope i accomplished that.
as far as career choice, i never thought i could be a writeras a career, tho i've written since i was in elementary school.with Silver Phoenix, i wanted to combine my love of fantasy as well as chinese culture.

That's great - after all, when it comes to writing, personal enjoyment and fulfillment is pretty important. What were your favourite/least favourite parts about Silver Phoenix (story, process, or otherwise)?
rough drafting and especially the dreaded MIDDLE were very difficult for me. i'm a revising kind of writer. the rough draft, when you don't know what may happen, is scary for me!
story wise, i love the climax. i also love the scene in the bamboo forest.

How did that intriguing title come about?
originally, my novel was titled as Spirit Bound.which makes sense to the story. but it was ambiguous so my editor and i had many brain storming sessions to comeup with another title. Silver Phoenix was one of the last suggestions made.

It's definitely a pretty cool title! Can you give us a little-known tidbit? About either yourself or the book is fine.
how about that my husband was my first boyfriendat twenty-one?i was def a late bloomer. =)i married him two years later.

Aww, that's adorable; and inspiring for others out there who may be late bloomers. There's hope yet! Any peculiar fetishes or fascinations?
other than good food? ha! i love color and flowers and spring time and rebirth. this may come across in a few scene from the novel--but it really explains why i enjoy chinese brush art so much. i guess that's not very peculiar.

Care to share any of your literary crushes?
i am a puddle of fan girl for neil gaiman.it's not just because he's a brilliant writer and oratorand multi-talented all around. it's mainly because he's just so darned nice and charming. you can just tell heis a good soul. fans can't help but adore him.
one of my favorite writers is ursula le guin. suchan inspiration--both in her themes as well as beautiful prose.

Anything to add?
thank you so much for having me, lucid! =)this was a fun interview!!

And thank you, Cindy, for taking the time to answer my questions!

*Silver Phoenix - Greenwillow Books (an imprint of Harper Collins) April 28, 2009.