Review: THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS OF APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE by Robin Benway

THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS OF APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE by Robin Benway
Young Adult
Razorbill
Hardcover, 281 pages
August 3, 2010 (in stores now)

From Amazon:

Three sisters, three extraordinary, life-changing powers!

I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

The cover: The colorful cover caught my attention. That, and the fact each girl is a different color. Upon reading, I liked the cover even more because I realized each color fit the girls' personalities/powers perfectly.

The book: I hadn't heard of Benway's debut, AUDREY, WAIT! when I signed up to read this ARC. You can bet AUDREY is on my to-read list now. I read the majority of SECRETS in one late-night sitting, engrossed in April's mysterious vision and how it would play out.

The dialogue has a JUNO-esque snappiness that, while sometimes bordering on unrealistic ("Whoa, Nellie!"), works for these quirky sisters. Their vocabularies are impressive, and it's refreshing to read about smart girls. Each sister has a unique perspective, all very relatable.

Another refreshing aspect is the parents, who are flawed and yet still loving, responsible people. I also liked how nearly every character is composed of shades of gray. Some you like, some you don't, but even with the less likable ones, you understand why they act the way they do.

The only thing I had mixed feelings about was the sisters' names. I was intrigued by reading about sisters named April, May, and June; it's one of the reasons I gave the book a second look. However, when all three sisters were together (especially in the beginning), I sometimes found it difficult to keep track of who was who. The gimmick (if that is what Benway intended it as - who knows, maybe she just likes those names) did its job in drawing me in, but in the end, I found it unnecessary. The girls could've been called anything and the story would still be equally engaging. I did appreciate little sister June giving her mother heck about their unusual names, though (as well as her mother's quick-witted answer).

Especially recommended for: lovers of contemporary YA with a spark of the fantastic, people who like Diablo Cody's JUNO, snappy dialogue, sisterly stories, or Benway's AUDREY, WAIT!

ARC courtesy of Traveling ARC Tours.

Philly

So I didn't get much done while I was in Philly. But that's okay. I'm home now and can dive back in! My somewhat blog hiatus continues until I finish this round of edits, but until then, remember I am still reading your blogs, just not commenting as much!

While in Philly, I got to attend Jennifer Weiner's Cupcakes Across America tour at the Philadelphia Free Library, complete with a Q&A/reading/signing:

Jen asking why I wanted a book signed without a name - because it is for YOU, of course! 12 followers away from a chance to win a signed copy of Jen's FLY AWAY HOME!

No idea what I'm saying...

Jen and I. Read more about my experience meeting Jen here.

I also got to meet my bloggy friend - the Blue Lipstick Samurai herself - Glenna Walsh, who does not wear blue lipstick, but may have samurai-music sensibilities. Glenna and I met at Naked Chocolate Cafe, where we partook in these luxury chocolate drinks:

Glenna's frappe

My frozen chocolate drink. It was extremely chocolatey. And made me feel as if there were a bee buzzing through my veins. Delicious, but even coffee-free, it was too much caffeine for me!

Glenna also delivered a Revisions Survival Kit, courtesy of she and Molly Brewer. I can't show much of the box, since it has addresses on it, but here's a sampling of the contents, including a mix tape cd for editing entitled Abby Stevens and the Revisions of Azkaban:

Sharpies, index cards, erasers, chocolate, Nutella (which I had never tried before), candy, coupons for free blog posts and more!

Also, some fairy dust and lots of encouragement!

Another reason being part of the blogging community is awesome! Thank you again, Glenna and Molly!

Review: PRINCESS OF GLASS by Jessica Day George

PRINCESS OF GLASS by Jessica Day George
Young adult fantasy
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Hardcover, 272 pages
May 25, 2010 (in stores now)

From the back flap:

The engrossing companion novel to Princess of the Midnight Ball, with a wicked twist on Cinderella.

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other’s countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It’s got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince.

Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

The cover: Once again, this was a book I noticed because of the cover. Something about ballgowns and pretty slippers always draw me in, and the mysterious look on the model's face, as if she is concerned and hesitant about something, made me curious enough to read what the book was about.

The book: I had never read the precursor to GLASS, PRINCESS OF THE MIDNIGHT BALL. In fact, I didn't even know GLASS was a sequel when I agreed to read it. I'm sure having read the first one would have given me an extra layer of comprehension, but the story stood well on its own. There was no information recap reminding the reader what happened in MIDNIGHT, which I appreciated. The backstory was explained throughout, though it was difficult (but certainly not necessary) to keep up with Poppy's sisters' names (all flowers, Orchid, Rose, Daisy, Lily, etc...). Besides Poppy there are 11 other sisters mentioned, and I wouldn't mind reading future books about their adventures.

As the main character, Princess Poppy is GLASS's strongest asset. She is not your typical princess, playing cards better than any man, swearing, and getting into general mischeif, and she is all the more endearing for it. Poppy has a haunting past, as well as a murky and misunderstood familial reputation, which colors everything she does.
 
Ellen, or Eleanora, a maid with a sinister double identity and mysterious past, came off very unlikable until she was almost at the point of no redemption. I really wanted to feel for her, but she just kept doing things (from Poppy's point of view, anyway) that aggravated me. Thankfully, once I saw the world from Ellen/Eleanora's point of view, she was redeemed.
 
The love interest, Prince Christian, is more a pawn than a player in this book, but as it is usually the woman in the pawn's role, it was fun to see the guy be pushed and pulled by forces other than his own will. Roger Thwaite, a more minor character who I cannot say much about without spoiling the story, is a far more interesting character in my opinion.
 
While the prologue confused me slightly (even after finishing the book), it also hinted at the major conflict and enticed me to keep reading. While reading GLASS, I kept thinking I knew exactly where the story would go, and then it would veer in another direction. By the last third of the book, I knew to stay on my toes. The end was satisfying, though possibly too 'neat' for some.
 
Especially recommended for: lovers of fairy tales, fairy tale retellings, and sweet romances.
 
ARC courtesy of Traveling ARC Tours.

Review: THE EDUCATION OF BET by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

THE EDUCATION OF BET by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
YA historical fiction
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Hardcover, 192 pages
July 12, 2010 (in stores now)

From the back flap:

When Will and Bet were four, tragic circumstances brought them to the same house, to be raised as brother and sister. Now sixteen, they enjoy the comforts that come from wealth. But not all is well in their household. Because she is a girl, Bet's world is contained within the walls of their grand home and the constraints of her limited education. Will's world is much larger, as he is allowed - forced, in his case - to go to school. Neither is happy.

So Bet comes up with a plan and persuades Will to give it a try: They'll switch places. She'll go to school as Will. Will can live as he chooses.

But once Bet gets to school, she soon realizes living as a boy is going to be much more difficult than she imagined. Boys act very differently when they think there are no girls in their midst. In fact, they act rather brutish. But brutish Bet can deal with. It's more the attraction she feels for her roommate that gets Bet into real trouble. This is not the education she expected.

The cover: The cover alone made me want to pick it up. The color of the dress, the elegance of the model's arms, the leather chair and the dark shelves in the background? All gorgeous and inviting. After reading, I like the cover even more: the position of Bet's left hand, the veins in it (for in a Photoshop world, you know those veins were intentional), the porcelain of her skin, the lace detail on the dress, all point to the frailty of Bet's body, while the sturdy chair, the thick volumes, and the model's body itself – healthy, not sickly – hint at Bet's emotional and intellectual fortitude. Just a lovely, lovely cover!

The book: In Victorian England, there are few options for an intelligent girl who craves an education.
After sixteen-year-old Will is expelled from yet another school, Bet, who has always dreamed of a formal education hatches a plan: Will will teach Bet how to be a boy so she can take his place at school in the fall, and Will can persue his dream of joining the military.

But while Bet has a mind for learning, she's seen little of the outside world, gawking even at cows on the way to school, hair chopped off and wearing a suit, to assume Will's indentity at the Betterman Academy. Bet's naivete quickly gets her in more trouble than she knew existed, and the military might not be everything Will expected it to be.

At less than 200 pages, BET was a quick but enjoyable read. If Ms. Baratz-Logsted had made it 100 more pages, I would have gladly absorbed it, as I wanted more detail about Bet's world, which feels familiar and yet distinct from your typical Victorian England. In fact, it was refreshing to read a book about Victorian England that does not center around the London ton.

Bet's voice is both comical and determined, and mishaps of mistaken identity and misunderstanding abound. There is a moment toward the end of the book that I truly worried for Bet's safety, as well as moments throughout where I cheered her on in her triumphs over seemingly endless obstacles.

The writing was excellent in that I didn't notice it. No odd names or overused words pulled me from the book, which is rare. So many books are overwritten, but Ms. Baratz-Logsted did a wonderful job in letting the story speak for itself without the actual words getting in the way.

Some events that play out in the book seemed unlikely to happen in real life, so if you have trouble with suspension of disbelief, this may not be the book for you, but I found it a fun, funny read.

Recommended for: Historical fiction lovers in general, but especially those who enjoy tales of light-hearted comedy, mistaken indentity, or overcoming adversity.

ARC courtesy of Traveling ARC Tours.

Cupcakes Across America (or how I met Jennifer Weiner)

••• WE INTERRUPT THIS REGULARLY SCHEDULED HIATUS TO BRING YOU A SPECIAL MESSAGE •••

As some of you know, I am in Philadelphia while my husband is here on business. At first, I was upset because I wanted to attend Jennifer Weiner's book signing in DC, and it fell the same week we had to be in Philadelphia. Then I realized – hello! – Jennifer Weiner is from Philadelphia. I checked her tour dates, and yep, she was having a signing here in Philly for her Cupcakes Across America Tour (tongue-in-cheek, yes, but there really were cupcakes) in support of her newest release, FLY AWAY HOME.

That's right folks, today I met Jennifer Weiner.

Granted, it was a brief (2 minutes... maybe) conversation, but I got to meet one of my favorite authors, so even being in the same room with her was an experience to remember.

I got a book signed for my personal collection, and a book signed for my eventual 100 Followers Contest (tell your friends, I have great things planned!). And then I got back to the hotel, went to write this blog, and realized my memory card does not fit in my laptop without the adapter.

Which is back home.

6 hours away.

So no pictures for now. Disappointing, to say the least.

But I got to hear Jennifer – who is funny, engaging, authentic, and gave insightful advice about everything from juggling home life and a career to utilizing social media – speak, met a fellow blogger in the book signing line, talked to Jen (however briefly) about YA, and gave her my business card, which I was worried was a little forward of me, but she said she'd check out my blog!

(If you're reading this, hi, Jennifer!)

When I get home (or find a computer with a Memory Stick Pro Duo card reader – anyone?), I will post the pics!

For those interested in way too much detail, see below. If not, just know that Jennifer Weiner is amazing, and if you have not read her work (snarky! funny! poignant!), please consider picking one of her books up.

Bear and I arrived at the Free Library of Philadelphia at 7:05. I had never been to a book signing before, so I was unsure how crazy it would be and was worried we were late. There was a cheese and wine reception going on in a different room, so the auditorium where Jennifer would be speaking at 7:30 was mostly empty. The room ended up packed, so I was glad we got there when we did.

Jennifer was introduced right at 7:30. She spoke for about 20 minutes, about everything from her mother meeting Rosie O'Donnell at a taping of the Rachael Ray Show, to freaking out bestselling author Jeffrey Eugenides, to live-Tweeting The Bachelorette. She kept the audience laughing the whole time.

As writers, we talk a lot about "voice," and I was pleasantly surprised to find the way Jennifer spoke closely resembled the voice in her books. To hear a writer's voice I know so well in my own head outloud was very cool.

Jennifer read a few pages of FLY AWAY HOME and took questions. I was impressed how graciously and thoroughly she answered, considering she was probably hearing 90% of them for the hundredth time. It was fun to see her interact with the audience, and hear her speak to and be spoken to like a regular person. Though she obviously is a regular person (as opposed to... a FemBot?), we sometimes lump famous people together as different or charmed, rather than recognize them as people with feelings and vulnerabilities. Just a nice reminder to myself that published authors aren't robots or magicians, but regular, hardworking people just like you and me.

The Q&A session ended around 8:30, and the audience filed out of the auditorium, picked up a few remaining cupcakes (mini cupcakes topped with, I believe, cream cheese icing), and formed a line in the lobby. The line moved quickly, and though I was near the end of it, I had my book signed by 9:20. To speed up the process, a woman went down the line and wrote how each person wanted their book signed on a Post-It and stuck it on the title page of each book.

When it was my turn, I approached Jennfier, handed her my books, and said "Hi!" She complimented me on my "I cannot live without books" t-shirt, and asked me who the second book was for. I explained I had a YA writing blog and was going to give it away as a prize in my 100 Followers contest and gave her my business card. She asked if I was a writer and I told her I was, and she said she would check out my blog! Made my day! We talked about THE HUNGER GAMES, and then I thanked her profusely, and walked away without asking for a picture together! Luckily, I remembered after taking about 3 steps and ran back, saying, "Jennifer, I forgot! Can we take a picture for my blog?" My husband snapped the picture, I thanked her again, apologizing profusely, and practically skipped out of the library, trying to recall everything she'd said to me to Bear!

Awesome shirt, no? It was a Christmas gift from my parents!

It was an amazing evening, and listening to Jennifer speak, talking to her, and seeing that she is kind and grateful to her fans, made me respect her even more. I know I've said it before, but if you haven't read Jennifer Weiner yet, do it!

Don't send out the YorkiePoo Brigade!

Happy Belated Independence Day!

In case any of you were thinking of sending your YorkiePoo on a mission to rescue me, I just wanted to pop my head out of my editing cave and let you know that a.) Yes, I'm still alive and b.) Yes, I'm still editing.

Thank you to everyone who left positive, encouraging comments on my last post. I've been keeping up with 90% of the blogs I Follow, and I've been popping onto Twitter occasionally, but I haven't been commenting much. I miss the blogging community, but my thought is that there's no point in being a writer/blogger if I never finish my MS.
My deadline to have my MS beta-ready passed a week ago, but I am still working. I've learned a lot by setting this goal, and it has helped me immensely.

Although my original plan was to edit straight through, I ended up working with a beta throughout, so I have been making corrections as I go along, which has actually worked out great! Setting this goal (and not reaching it) has taught me that, while writing is the best. job. ever, I still need room to be, in the wise words of Maggie Stiefvater (and I so cannot find the link to the blog she wrote about this, so if you have it, please leave it in the comments), I must be something other than a writer.

I've worked harder than I've worked in a long time during the last 3 weeks, but once my husband gets home from work, I want to spend time with him, and once the weekend hits, my life is full of family and fun (and okay, chores). I need recharge time.

Rachelle Gardner posted a blog called How to Become a Better Writer: 11 Completely Non-Writing-Related Ideas that I think every writer should read. It's so true and exactly captures how I feel about the writing/recharging thing.

So yes, I didn't reach my goal in the time I allowed. But I learned that, for my pace and temperament, I didn't give myself enough time. I didn't set a realistic goal. I've learned I just can't writewritewrite with no recharge. I know some people gladly do it, but I'm just not built that way. I want to write, do something else, write, do something else, write, do something else.

And to show you a little of what that 'do something else' entails for me, I wanted to share what I worked on yesterday (while watching HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, no less):

I got the idea for this painting from a home renovations magazine. This is what I hope for it to look like when I'm finished:

*Heads back to my editing cave again.*

 See you in a week or two!

Goal

I have set a major goal for myself. It will require me spending less time online for the next 2 weeks. A less strict version of No Internet Distractions Week, if you will.

My goal?

Finish this round of edits through the end of the novel and finish combining chs. 1&2, which will hopefully put me in the position of being ready to send out to betas.

There. I've publicly declared it. Scary, scary, because if I didn't share at least then no one would have known if I fail. But I won't fail, right?

Right.

Because it's all up to me.