Half-Deserted Streets

Book Review: Tempest

2012-01-02T11:04:00.000-05:00

Tempest
By Julie Cross
St. Martin's Griffin
Publication date: January 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0312568894

Let me be honest - time travel is hard for me to understand. It's really easy for a book to glaze over the fundamentals, and let the reader flounder around trying to grab onto the ins and outs. It's really hard for an author to offer a new take that's not just unique, but also understandable. Julie Cross not only got me to understand time travel, but see it in a new light and actually (gasp) enjoy it! Not since The Time Traveler's Wife (book, not movie) had I enjoyed the plot devise so much.

Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer (amazing name, right?) is a rich kid with a great girlfriend. His life is normal - except for the fact that he can time travel. Although it's not normal time travel - he can go to the past, but his actions have no affect on the future. That is, until mysterious men barge into his girlfriend's dorm and shoot her. Watching his girlfriend gasp for breath, Jackson unwillingly time travels two years into the past - 2007 - but this time, he's actually there and he can't return to his present. While in 2007, Jackson must figure out who those people were, what is actually going on around him in his life, and how to get back and save his girlfriend.

Let me tell you - the book is intensely awesome. I was hooked from the first page, getting into the character traits and stories. And then BOOM I'm in 2007, learning all about the character's lives before I met them. It was great, meeting people with Jackson and putting together little pieces along the way. Because of course Jackson isn't the only time traveler. And of course his life isn't as it seems.

As as mentioned, the time traveling aspect is described quite nicely. Cross almost literally says "scrap what you think about time travel - let's start over," which worked well. She has her own take, and it's nicely drawn out. As is the epic (and I mean epic) plot that's slowly revealed, where Jackson realizes that he kind of has to help save the world.

Oh and Jackson? I loved Jackson. I loved how richy rich he was at first, and how he matured through the process. How caring he is because, really, all he wants to do is save his girlfriend's life. He could easily give up and try to live a new life, but oh no. Jackson is determined. Holly, the girl, is a great secondary character, but I really loved Adam, the geeky friend who helps Jackson figure out his time traveling capabilities. And Jackson's father is extremely interesting; I hope the sequels explore his life even more.

Which brings me to my biggest complaint with the book - I have to wait for the sequels! It's a trilogy, of course; I hating having to wait to know what happens next. The book ends at a really great place - the main conflict is over - but the bigger, epic battle is still to come. I'm afraid I may forget things during my time away from Jackson.

There is a very short prequel that was released, which I'll write about later. But for now, give Tempest a chance. There's a reason a movie adaptation is already in production. (Who will play Jackson?) It's engaging, addictive, and really, really intense.

Check out the first four chapters here.

Happy 2012!

2012-01-02T10:15:00.000-05:00

Happy 2012!

Also, Happy Blogversary to HDS! Half-Deserted Streets started exactly four years ago. It's changed over time, but has always been quite close to my heart. Thank you all for reading it over the years.

Book Review: How To Save A Life

2011-12-23T10:41:00.002-05:00

How to Save a Life
By Sara Zarr
Little, Brown and Company
Release date: October 18, 2011
ISBN: 978-0316036061

When I first heard about How To Save A Life, I immediately thought of the Fray song with the same name (and then, of course, Grey's Anatomy).

You guys - remember how good the show was back during seasons 1 and 2? Have you seen it lately? Me neither. So because of this connection, I thought "eh, I'll pass." And then I saw the title pop up on all of the "Best of Lists."

Well then.

So I got it and read it and I'm really happy I did! I'm not sure if it'll make my Best Of list, but I did really enjoy it.

Jill MacSweeney just lost her dad in a car accident. She's isolated herself from her friends, boyfriend and mom, and has become a more somber, more caustic version of her former self. So of course she loses it when her mom decides to adopt a baby. Mandy Kalinowski has never really known family. Her mom is viscous, and her dad nonexistent. So when she falls pregnant, she decides to give the baby up to a caring mother. That's how the two girls meet, when Mandy gets off a train and runs right into Jill's life.

Told from both Jill and Mandy's perspectives, it's a book about family, in all of its different definitions. It's about loss, acceptance, and moving forward. It's about friendship and relationships, and ultimately it's about caring.

As mentioned, I quite enjoyed How to Save a Life and definitely know why it's been so favorably spoken about. With a rich story, it was beautifully written, and extremely grabbing. Both characters had defined, distinct voices which rang true. Zarr did a phenomenal job creating them. But most impressively were their changes. Subtle, ever so subtle, the girls became so much more in the end as they learned to let people in. I found myself hating Jill at one moment, and loving her the next, unsure when or how that switch happened. It was fantastic.

The book is hard at times; Mandy has been through some truly terrible situations. And while they're awful, they show how strong a character she is, despite not seeming like one at first. And of course there's a love story, which is careful and sweet and perfect.

I highly recommend Zarr's book; it's full of hope, family and love.

Also, the title really does work.

Bonus link:
Book Soundtrack!

Book Review: The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1

2011-12-13T10:28:00.001-05:00

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1
By hitRECord & Joseph Gordon-Levitt
It Books
Publication date: December 6, 2011
ISBN: 978-0062121660

"The universe is not made of atoms; it's made of [tiny] stories." -Muriel Rukeyser [& wirrow]

Actor/artist/producer Joseph Gordon-Levitt created the website hitRECord as a place where artists of every kind can come together and collaborate. A creative commons like environment, it's considered an "open-collaborative production company." Essentially, all users work together to create art, whether it's by adding images, photos, texts, footage, music, etc. One person can submit a drawing. Another dabbles with it. Another adds text. Another colors it in. Etc. All work is everyone's.

Since its inception, there have been live shows, films, CDs, shirts, documentaries and more. The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 is the first collaborative tiny book. The book's goal is to showcase that a big idea can come from a tiny story.

From first looking at it, the book is adorable. It is tiny, about the size of my hand, but the stories are not. They may be short in words, but not in ideas. Each tiny tale is accompanied by a drawing representing it. Each little story is a collaborative effort, as noted in the back where each contributor is listed

I really enjoyed the book. The stories range from sweet to sad, beautiful to funny. With each being so short, it's easy to finish the book in less than an hour. But, despite it being such a short read, it's really one that sticks with you. Reminiscent of the Six-Word Memoir books, it's more touching, more charming. Perhaps it's because there's no limit on words, but still. It's amazing how a full story can be told in just a handful of words and one image. It's terrific how people can work together to produce a final concept.

The Tiny Stories project is still going on, and still encouraging people to participate. So if you're interested in lending an idea, an image, a word to a story, go for it. Perhaps you'll be featured in volume 2, a sequel I'm definitely looking forward to experiencing.

Learn more about hitRECord here.

Interview: Jessica Martinez

2011-12-07T09:15:00.001-05:00

Recently I reviewed Jessica Martinez's debut novel, Virtuosity. She kindly agreed to answer a few questions for HDS regarding her new novel and her writing career. Read on!

How did you come up with the story for Virtuosity?
I started with one scene—a girl lying on a balcony, dangling her million-dollar violin off the edge—and envisioned all the different things that could lead her this point of desperation. With every attempted draft (there were many and they were all different!) I came back to that same scene and knew it had to all come from there.

There are three major story lines - Carmen's budding relationship with Jeremy; Carmen dealing with anti-anxiety medicine; and Carmen's relationship with her mother. What made you want to focus on each?
The central theme of breaking free from control is developed through both the relationship with her mother and her addiction to the medication. I like that they are both things that a normal teen may be dealing with—drugs and moms—so even though Carmen’s world is so unique, her problems aren’t. As for Jeremy, the novel is not a romance in the sense that it’s the central storyline. He’s a catalyst for her move towards independence. I like that about him and wanted to show that he doesn’t solve her problems, but he helps her realize she must solve them on her own.

What do you want your readers to get out of Virtuosity?
I want them to feel Carmen’s transformation from being controlled to making her own decisions. I also want them to respect her integrity. She consistently chooses the high road, and I love that about her.

I saw that you were a former violinist. What was your favorite song to play on the violin?
I’ve got too many to list, but one of my favorite concertos to play is the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. It’s the concerto Carmen is learning for the Guarneri competition in the book. It’s passionate and beautiful and DIFFICULT.

Do you have plans for another novel?
I do! My next novel (title still being decided) comes out next fall. It’s about sisters and secrets and lies and love—how’s that for vague?! Oh, and my good news: I just signed a deal with Simon Pulse for two more books in fall 2013 and 2014. They will both be stand-alone contemporary realistic fiction.

Thanks Jessica!

Book Review: Blue Christmas

2011-12-04T08:42:00.001-05:00

Blue Christmas
By Mary Kay Andrews
Harper Collins
Publication date: October 24, 2006
ISBN: 978-0061146015

It's Christmas time, so I've been in the mood for good ol' fashioned Christmas-y books. I saw an ad on the Harper Collins website for Blue Christmas, originally out in 2006, and thought to give it a try. I haven't read anything else by Mary Kay Andrews, but I know the name. And name recognition is half the battle, right?

Antique shop owner Weezie Foley loves the holidays, so much so that she's determined to win Savannah's historic district's annual decorating contest. Competition arises, however, from the competing store across the street - a trendy antiques store that's pulling out all the stops, including fake snow and a choir. But as Weezie puts the final touches on her display, things start going wrong. Pieces of her display go missing. Food is stolen from her house. Her dog runs away and then is mysteriously found inside her truck. But with all that, good spirited Weezie still wants to make the most of the holidays and perhaps get her moody Christmas-hating boyfriend, Daniel, to stop being sour and possibly propose.

The book features characters from Andrews' other books, Savannah Breeze and Savannah Blues. I haven't read them, and thankfully that doesn't get in the way of enjoying the book. I am interested in following up with Savannah Breeze, though, because it follows Bebe's story, Weezie's best friend. And Bebe ended up being my favorite character. I like strong female characters who don't mind spilling coffee to get their way.

The book is full-on cheesy, but in a fun way. It's a book moms and grandmothers will adore because it's full of charm and adorableness. Did I like it? Sure, it was an easy, cute read that did, in fact, get me into the Christmas spirit. The story is simple and completely predictable, but that's nice around the holidays, right?

Two things that got to me, though: first, Andrews has four gay characters. That's awesome - I'm all for more gay characters in literature. I applaud her for doing that. However, every time one is mentioned, it's repeated that they're gay. It's as if it's required - if we say Manny, we must say the gay competition across the street! We get it, we don't need to be reminded. Also, at one point, a young child is playing a Game Boy. Now, I'm pretty sure the book takes place in the 2000s. Most children have no clue what a Game Boy is, nor would they ever want to play one.

Minor complaints aside, it's a fun book that you'll finish in about a day. While called Blue Christmas, the book is anything but that. It's full of life, and brings the historic streets of Savannah to life.

Book Review: Virtuosity

2011-11-28T14:25:00.001-05:00

Virtuosity
By Jessica Martinez
Simon Pulse
Publication date: October 18, 2011
ISBN: 978-1442420526

Carmen, an extremely gifted violin player, is about to compete in one of the biggest competitions of her life. The winner has their life set as a classical violin musician. It's what all of her years of practice and performance have led up to. But two weeks before, she meets her major competition, Jeremy King, and against all plans, falls for him. Despite her mom's warnings that he's just trying to distract her, Carmen sees Jeremy secretly and starts living a life of her own, ignoring the one carefully created for her. But as the competition approaches, Carmen must decide of Jeremy is for real, if her family has her best interests in mind, and if she wants to continue her life as she's used to it.

Virtuosity is a beautiful debut by Jessica Martinez. It's an addictive read, that keeps the reader guessing and debating what really is best for Carmen. Three story revolves around three main plots: Carmen's relationship with her manager mother; Carmen's budding romance with her competition, Jeremy; and Carmen's reliance on anti-anxiety medicine. Each story weaves together and meets face to face at the end, with a startling revelation.

I found Carmen to be a likeable main character, with this naivety that's honest and not forced. For a girl used to homeschooling, of course she's swept away with Jeremy's advances. Who wouldn't be? He's handsome, challenging, and fun. Martinez does a great job at making him mysterious - should you root for them to be together, or is he really just using her? Despite his well-written character, however, I never quite loved him. I couldn't cheer on their relationship, because I did think something was up.

The mother-daughter aspect was very interesting, going off the whole stage mom idea. I liked how it was written, and really felt for both parties involved. I especially liked the sub-story about Carmen's reliance on drugs. I actually wanted more of that, to see more of her reaction to going off the medication. Did she have more side effects than just nerves?

Overall, it was a very well-done novel, with a beautiful ending. Martinez made the musical aspect accessible and fascinating. I'm excited to see what she has in store next.

Also, I love the cover.

It's Alive!

2011-11-27T19:06:00.001-05:00

It's always been my dream to write a book, ever since I was young and watched Little Women. I thought I could be like Jo March and write about my family. Unfortunately, my family wasn't that interesting, so I wrote about imaginary people and places. My stories were never very good.

Come college, I dreamed of writing a novel - one people would love and pass on to their friends. I started many and finished none. This dream continued until, well, today. I have so many started drafts and nothing finished.

That is, until now. Thanks to NaNoWriMo...I've finally finished my book! It's done! I love it! Sure, it's a rough first draft, but it was written in only 27 days. There are sure to be many mistakes. The point is, I've finally finished something, and I've never been prouder.

What now you ask? I don't know! I'm going to get a few friends to help me edit it. Writers are terrible at editing their own work, so I need outside help. After that, we'll see. But I'm not planning that far ahead. I'm just happy for today.

And who knows - maybe one day a book blog will be reviewing my book?

Book Review: Every You, Every Me

2011-11-20T12:23:00.001-05:00

Every You, Every Me
By David Levithan
Knopf
Publication date: September 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0375860980

"Concept novels" are huge right now. Mark Danielewski comes to mind first, then Jonathan Safran Foer. Both experimented in different ways, adding color to text, crossing out words, scrambling words together, turning text upside down. Then there are the photographic books, telling a full story through snippets of newspaper scans, drawings, photographs, or actual items. The idea has had its time in adult fiction, so it's only natural that it spread into young adult novels. In David Levithan's newest book, he uses text to tell the story, and photos to illustrate what the main character is seeing. It's an interesting concept, one that definitely brings the reader into a story where photographs are extremely important. He also employs crossed out text to show what the main character is thinking, despite not wanting to think it.

Evan's best friend Ariel is gone. He blames himself, even though he thought what he did was right. Since her departure, he's been suffering from insomnia, as well as overwhelming angst and depression. And then he finds a photograph in the woods. The photo is of the place that he's standing. The next day, he finds a photo in the same place. This time, the photo is of him. As the novel progresses, Evan is taunted by more and more photographs, some showing Ariel, some of him, and some of moments he didn't know others knew about. As the psychological novel progresses, he becomes paranoid, unraveled and obsessed with his stalker. His thoughts become muddled between the present and his past with Ariel, to the point that, despite her being gone, he wonders if it's Ariel playing a big trick on him.

Initially, I was intrigued with how the book was put together. Levithan based the initial idea around a photo photographer Jonathan Farmer took. He then started writing. Farmer would send him a photo, unaware of what Levithan wrote. Levithan then continued his story, using that photograph as what the "stalker" left for Evan. The fact that neither were communicating, and that art was influencing, well, art, was fascinating. I thought this process really made the book unique.

And unique it was. Told in first person (often addressing Ariel in the "you" tense), you go through every thought, every emotion Evan is going through. His voice is solid, perfectly written, and beautifully embracing the slow progression of paranoia. The crossed out text adds to the craziness, blurring the lines of what's happening in real life, and what's in his head. He's angsty, crazed, and trying to understand life without Ariel.

While a major character, Ariel (who's more manic than manic pixie dreamgirl) is mostly shown through flashbacks, snippets of thoughts Evan experiences while trying to put the puzzle pieces together. This was smart, as it further explores the major theme of the book: there's never a single version of a person. That is, every character saw a different version of Ariel. (Thus the title, based off the Placebo song of the same title.) As Evan starts to realize this, he wonders if he really knew his best friend at all.

The "concept" aspect worked extremely well in this novel, and I'm excited to see it employed. My main complaint, however, is that despite understanding his pain, I never really loved Evan. He had a strong voice, but I couldn't quite get into him. I wanted something to make me like him, rather than feel sorry for him. Same with Ariel, for that matter. She was interesting, but I didn't love her. (She reminded me very much of the love interest in Levithan's other novel, The Lover's Dictionary.)

It's an intense book, that's for sure, lacking in cheeriness and happiness. But for a young adult psychological thriller, it's very well done. I read it through in one morning, and definitely enjoyed it. Levithan's style shines through, and I can see him continuing to experiment long after this.

NaNoWriMo

2011-11-19T14:56:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! If you're wondering why there hasn't been a review this week, it's because I've been writing! I'm participating in NaNoWriMo, and have spent a good majority of my time outside of work trying to conquer the 50,000 words. I've still been reading, though, so expect a new review very shortly. In the meantime, here's my progress!

Book Review: 13 Little Blue Envelopes

2011-11-09T15:51:00.003-05:00

13 Little Blue Envelopes
By Maureen Johnson
Harper Teen
Publication Date: August 23, 2005
ISBN: 978-0060541415

Like most young adult novel readers, I like Maureen Johnson. On Twitter she's amusing, and in real life, she's fun and hilarious. (I saw her speak during LeakyCon. She does great accents.) Despite my admiration for her, sadly I've only read one thing she's written - her chapter of Let It Snow. And it was good - it was probably my favorite of the three sections. So of course I decided to finally read one of her novels.

I know with most novels, the reader must engage a certain suspension of disbelief. That's fine. It sometimes makes a novel more fun to believe things just happen. But this book took it...a bit too far for me.

For instance, I love the idea behind the plot, but it just seems so far fetched. Ginny receives a letter from her crazy aunt, which summons her on a crazy adventure that takes her from New Jersey to New York, and then to London, Scotland, Rome, France, Amsterdam, etc. The trip is propelled by 13 little blue envelopes, each of which commanding Ginny to go to a certain place and do or see something specific. As a plot device, that sounds awesome. But how does a mother allow her 17-year-old daughter to go on such a trip? Without any supervision and no ways of communicating her? (Ginny wasn't allowed to bring a computer/phone/camera/etc. She was allowed to write letters, though, if she wanted.)

Her aunt left her money, which she was able to get once in London. Then, she basically followed the letters on a scavenger hunt through Europe. She never took in the sights, really (which, come on, who wouldn't?), and never seemed to truly enjoyed herself. I get that she lonely at times - heck, I would be too - but that was the thing...I often wondered if she really felt anything. She seemed very two-dimensional to me. Like, she was going through the motions but not taking anything in.

Along the way she meets a bunch of characters, including Keith the love interest [who just annoyed me, really, because he was everywhere (not literally, figuratively) and you never knew if he actually liked her - or, even, why he liked her]. The characters I did like were the Australian friends she met in Denmark, who had far too little a part.

Plus, I found a lot of the suspense to be rather forced. At one point, Ginny can't find a place to stay for the night. But she has money, so she could always check into a hotel. And, honestly, she has a caring mother. If she really needed money (despite her aunt's request not to contact others), she could easily just call her mom.

I think I'm just harsh because I expected more from Johnson. She has such a fantastic voice on Twitter (and in Let it Snow!), that I really, really wanted to love this book. So I was disappointed to see her fun voice missing most of the time, and the story not that addictive. BUT her writing IS good and I still really like Johnson. I'll check out her other books, perhaps even the sequel. Because I don't want to give up on her. She's a great writer and I know other books prove that.

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

2011-11-05T13:38:00.002-04:00

Lola and the Boy Next Door
By Stephanie Perkins
Dutton Books
Publication date: September 29, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-525-42328-7

After reading Stephanie Perkins's Anna and the French Kiss, I immediately got Lola and the Boy Next Door. True, it's not a sequel, but I knew that if the writing were as good (and utterly delicious), I'd love it.

And boy did I.

Lola, a budding designer, has two wishes: she wants to wear a Marie Antoinette costume to her school dance and she wants her two dads to like her older rock star boyfriend, Max. While she works diligently at both, they don't seem to like Max. And things don't get easier when Cricket, the boy next door and Lola's first love, comes back into town. Now, Lola has to figure out who she is under all the costumes, and which great love she wants.

While not a sequel, Lola is a companion novel to Anna. Both Anna and St. Clair make appearances, working with Lola at a San Francisco movie theatre. (We learn that the couple is still very much in love, and planning a future together. Awww.) While they do have big parts, they're far from the focus, as this is Lola's story. And Lola is quite the character. Constantly in costume, she wears here feelings and emotions on her body, be it in wigs or outlandish dresses. She feels like herself when she's dressed up. She lives with her two dads (who were hands down my favorite characters in the book), who are both incredibly caring and overprotective (especially when it comes to her older boyfriend). She's a good student, a good daughter.

Except when it comes to Max, the bad boy rocker who loves her. Perkins does a great job of making him not someone you hate at first. He likes her, you can't hate him for that. But even though he isn't horrid, you still root for Cricket.

Cricket. The boy next door. The nice, sweet, patient guy. The inventor who has pined for Lola since childhood. Who leaves her messages on his window. Who helps her see who she is. Yes, he's that wonderful. His scenes with Lola are mesmerizing, and you just want to keep him for yourself.

In the background of Lola debating which guy she likes more, there's the story of family, where her birth mother is discussed. I like how Perkins added this story; it made the plot more developed, and less just a basic love story. I also love how the dads were just that - their sexuality was never a big problem or, even, plot point.

The book is adorable. The crushes are delightful, and the love scenes are drool-worthy. Seriously, if you liked Anna, pick this up. (You don't have to read Anna beforehand, but it's nice to.) If you haven't read it yet, get on it. Perkins tells a delicious, sugarcoated, fun story that left me captivated the entire time.

Book Review: That Is All

2011-11-03T15:50:00.000-04:00

That Is All
By John Hodgman
Dutton
Publication date: November 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0525952442

Review by Samir Mathur

For this, the third and final installment in his compendium of complete world knowledge, John Hodgman has adopted a new persona – he’s transitioned from a “Professional Writer” to a “Famous Minor Television Personality” and now we find him in his current incarnation, a “Deranged Millionaire,” living in a bunker, preparing for Ragnarok, the (Norse) end of the world.

Obviously.

That Is All picks up where More Information Than You Require left off – literally, as the page numbers and footnotes continue from the end of that book. This time around, Hodgman provides useful and entirely fictional information about, amongst other things, wine (“Chardonnay tastes like Old Coffins”), American football (“a uniquely American combination of rugby and boredom”), and the truth about the Titanic. The sentence “I asked for a mechanical iceberg, but this is ridiculous” made me laugh out loud.

What continues to impress me about Hodgman’s books is not that they are often very funny – though they are. And it’s not that he is able to refer back to his previous work so often and so seamlessly – though he is. What impresses me the most is that he commits to elaborate, insane premises and they work. For instance, when describing the – admittedly demented – scoring rules of tennis, our narrator explains that “you must win the game by a prime number of points or you start all the way back at 15”, and that the loser of a tennis march is called the “Underhills”.

This book feels a little more apocalyptic than the previous two, but that’s because Ragnarok is coming, and so there are sections about how to prepare for the end of the world, things to do before the end of the world, and even some tips on becoming a deranged millionaire.

That Is All is as silly, funny, fake-serious and informative as Hodgman’s other books, and anyone who needs a laugh and some faux-trivia to wow their friends would be well-advised to pick it up... while there’s still time! (Y’know… before the imminent apocalypse.) Run, don’t walk, to your nearest book merchant.

Book Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

2011-11-01T09:50:00.001-04:00

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
By Mindy Kaling
Crown
Publication date: November 1, 2011
ISBN: 9780307886262

Mindy Kaling, writer/actress on The Office, is funny. Very funny. She can turn an average story about summer camp, to one where the main character (herself) falls off a diving board, bleeds upon hitting the water, and is told, by an older camp counselor, to never tell her parents about the situation. She turned an ongoing gag with her friend into an award-winning play/TV show pilot. So, it's natural progression for her to try her hand at writing a book.

People will almost definitely compare Kaling's new book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) to Tina Fey's best-seller, Bossypants. It's not because the two authors look the same, or are on the same TV show, it's mostly because the two are well-known female television writers and actors. And Kaling knows the comparison will come, as she points out in the beginning of her book, noting that Fey's book will be seen as better.

"Unfortunately, I can't be Tina, because it's very difficult to lure her into a Freaky Friday-type situation where we could switch bodies, even though in the movies they make it look so easy. Believe me, I've tried."

The thing is, she shouldn't see it that way. While I haven't read Bossypants, I can say that Kaling's book is really very good. Smart and funny, she writes with an honest voice. The book reads more like a letter to a friend than a memoir, and I liked that about it. Because the book isn't really a memoir - sure, it's true stories about her life - but it's broken up into short essays, much like that of Sedaris (only much more conversational). She only mentions the humorous or thought provoking parts of her life, those that contributed to her career today. The book also has lists (or pliests as she calls them), essays that are mainly lists. (Like my favorite, "Best Friend Rights and Responsibilities.")It worked well. (However, it did leave me hanging at times. Like, why wasn't Brenda in California? When did Mindy become Kelly on The Office? I want details!)

The book is divided into a few different sections, which span her life: "I Forget Nothing: A Sensitive Kid Looks Back" (on her childhood), "I Love New York and It Likes Me Okay" (her move to NY and attempts to break into writing), "Hollywood: My Good Friend Who Is Also A Little Embarrassing" (her time on The Office), "The Best Distraction In The World: Romance and Guys" (obvious), "My Appearance: The Fun and the Really Not Fun" (her style and look), and "My All-Important Legacy" (her planned funeral, of course). Her writing is fast and always attention grabbing. The stories are never too long, and give you just enough detail to feel satisfied. (And, yes, I loved when she dropped in the names of celebrities. Amy Poehler is nice! I knew it!) But what I liked most was that even with every funny instance, there's a lot of heart in the book. She loves her job and it shows. She didn't break into the industry easy, and reading about her progression was inspiring.

Her story about how her play, Matt & Ben (a not-so-true story of the Matt Damen/Ben Affleck friendship) came to be was fantastic. I loved her attempts at babysitting (where she got to discuss the merits of N'Sync), and and stories of writing for SNL. And it broke my heard to hear her discuss how, during a photo shoot for People magazine, only size 0 dresses were available. She has a gift to write about painful moments, but make them feel hopeful and light.

I felt like, towards the end, she was trying to find something else to write about (thus the essays on romance). It's not to say they were bad - they were just as good - but I would have liked more personal stories.

I like Kaling because she doesn't make excuses for herself. She loves the color pink and shopping. She posts pictures of her getting zits before big interviews. Truly, she's just being herself and it's refreshing. I admit, I've only seen a handful of episodes of The Office, but the book convinced me to tune in. (I admittedly really wanted to read this because I love her blog. Have you read it? Go to it now.)

Kaling's book is remarkably enjoyable, and spotlights the writer in a new way.In the introduction, she says she'd like to be friends with Beyonce. Well, I'd like to be friends with her.

Orlando Author Events

2011-10-26T11:33:00.004-04:00

Florida is a great place for theme parks, warm weather, and alligators. As for book tours? Not so much. It's rare that authors make their way down to the Sunshine State. Right now, though, we're getting two big names. I rarely do event postings, but I found these to be remarkable enough to write about. (And not to be braggy, but they're both coming to the school where I work.)

Gloria Steinem will be at Rollins College October 28 and 29th. On the 28th, at 7:30 p.m., she'll "offer insight on what the women's movement should prioritize today in order to effectively transform tomorrow." The event, entitled "Women Today: An Evening with Gloria Steinem," will be held at the college's Alfond Sports Center. (Info here.)

On October 29, Steinem is back with "Gloria Steinem and Patricia Schroeder present 'Our Journey to Equality'." Of the event, "Writer and feminist organizer Gloria Steinem and former Congresswoman and activist Patricia Schroeder reflect upon the early days of the feminist movement and their roles in reshaping the patriarchal landscape then and now." The conversation will be held from 2-3 p.m. at the college's Keene Hall, as part of Rollins Feminist Forum presents "Still Moving That Mountain: Feminism, Past and Future."

Both Steinem events are free to the public. Gloria Steinem is an author and activist. She's written numerous books, such as Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, Revolution from Within, and Moving Beyond Words.

David McCullough will be conducting a presentation entitled "History of the Love of Learning" on Friday, November 4 at 8 p.m. Presented by the Winter Park Institute, he'll discuss how various fields (including medicine, writing, art and technology) were transformed by American leaders' immersion in Parisian culture. The talk will focus on his newest book, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. The event will be held at the college's Knowles Memorial Chapel, and is free to the public. (Info here.)

McCullough, who has two Pulitzer Prizes, two national Book Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, is best known for his narrative 1776, as well as biographies of John Adams and Harry Truman.

Neat, right? If you're going, let me know! I'm missing Steinem, but I'm going to check out McCullough. He's my grandfather's favorite author, so you know I'll be seeking an autograph.

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

2011-10-24T17:22:00.000-04:00

Anna and the French Kiss
By Stephanie Perkins
Dutton Juvenile
Publication date: December 2, 2010
ISBN: 978-0525423270

Have you ever had a book that you just wanted to snuggle with? I mean, hug when you're feeling down, and know full-well that its hugging you back? That's what Anna and the French Kiss is like. It's sweet, it's romantic, and I officially have a huge crush on it. I mean, gobbled it down in a day and a half and literally swooned through parts of it.

Right before her senior year of high school, Anna is uprooted by her parents and forced to attend a boarding school in Paris. She's unhappily leaving behind her family, friends, and hugh crush that she sort of had a thing with. Scared of not knowing the land (or the language), she freaks out until she makes friends with Meredith, her soccer-loving neighbor; Josh, the artist; Rashmi, Josh's super smart girlfriend; and beautiful St. Claire, who Anna (and the rest of the school) swoons over upon first glance. St. Claire,with his British accent, takes Anna out to see the city and story evolves from there. But Anna still has Toph in the background, and St. Claire has a girlfriend at another school. As Anna becomes more comfortable with her new city, she becomes more comfortable with herself. And, through ups and downs, she learns the true meaning of "home."

The story is simple, but so fun. It's classic boy meets girl, boy and girl can't get together so they develop a strong friendship, boy and girl hint at more...and so on. It has all the makings of a great coming of age romance, including tentative touches, awkward glances, love poetry, and epic multiple-hour long phone calls. By the end, I, too, was swooning over St. Claire.

These books could be similar, of course, but Anna stands out not only for its mushy cuteness, but for its strong writing. The story is more than just a girl meets boy story. Anna grows as a character throughout the book in the most subtle ways. You dont' even notice her development until it's pointed out. She's an interesting main character and realistic in many ways. (to the point that I wanted to slap sense into her her at times, but hey, teenagers.) Her friends are vividly described to the point that I wish they got their own books. Meredith was a great friend (and, in a way, mirror character to Anna), and I wish Rasmi got more screen time. She was complex and hidden. And St. Claire, well, he's more than just good looking of course. He's smart and sweet and had an obsession with world history.

What I liked most, however, was how real so many scenes felt. While I never went to boarding school, I did move away for college, so I can relate to that "i'm alone in a new place" feeling. That first day in the cafeteria. The overwhelming amount of love you have toward the first person to ask if you're okay. The excitement of that first crush. And the shocking realization when you realize that home may not be where you grew up anymore. I loved those scenes most, the ones when she's home and she realizes how she's changed.

And the flirtation. Oh was it adorable and blushy and fun.

I loved this novel. It's a great book to curl up with, and fall into. It makes me think of macaroons, cotton candy and love - all things sweet, and all things people crave for.

The companion novel, Lola and the Boy Next Door is currently out! The third companion novel Isla and the Happily Ever After, will be out fall 2012.

Side note: I met Stephanie Perkins earlier this year during LeakyCon (the Harry Potter convention. Yes.) She's just as adorable and full-of-life as the book is.

Book Review: Moon Over Manifest

2011-10-21T14:19:00.001-04:00

Moon Over Manifest
By Clare Vanderpool
Delacorte Press
Publication date: October 12, 2010 (paperback coming out December 27, 2011)
ISBN: 978-0385738835

I've recently made it my goal to read more award-winning children's literature. In doing so, I decided to pick up Moon Over Manifest, which received the Newbery Award along with many other accolades. The cover is cute, a little girl walking along the tracks, and synopsis interesting enough. But, upon simply checking it out, I had no clue what kind of adventure I had in store for me.

In 1936 and the Depression has overtaken the states. A rough 13-year-old Abilene Tucker, who's used to living life here and there, never settled down, is shipped to Manifest, Kansas while her dad works on the tracks. Manifest was his home for a bit, but he hasn't been back; all Abilene knows are the stories she's told her late at night. In Manifest, Abilene means a ragtag group of memorable characters, including her caretaker Shady, a bootlegger turned pastor; Lettie and Ruthanne, cousins who quickly befriend her; Hattie Mae Macke, the kind reporter; and Miss Sadie, a diviner who lives down the Path to Perdition. Wanting to know more about her mysterious father, Abilene stumbles upon a tin full of old trinkets and letters from Ned to Jinx. Through Miss Sadie, Abeline pieces together the story of the towns past, what happened in 1918 when her father lived there. From these stories, she learns more about the rundown town, her father, herself, and what home really means.

The book jumps back and forth from 1936 to 1918, but it's never confusing. The characters are the same, so as the 1918 story unfolds, you see vignettes of characters still alive in 1936. You piece together their stories, as well as the towns story. With the 1918 stories also come Ned's letters and copies of Haddie Mae's news articles from the time period. These different ways of seeing the past make it so much more inclusive. And not once is it confusing.

The historical aspect of the story is actually top notch. The time period was fascinating, and the book gently touches on topics such as bootlegging, orphan trains, the KKK, immigration and more. While the book is merely a work of fiction, the town (based on Frontenac, Kansas) comes alive, along with all of the residents. You can almost smell Mama Santoni's pasta sauce, or feel the parched dry feeling of no rain.

And the characters, the characters were the best part. I wanted to run through the woods with Jinx, catch frogs with Abilene, feel the desks, listen to the diviner speak, and participate in the town meetings. Truly, the story involves you, wraps you up until you're a towns member as well. While there are a lot of characters to keep track of, a handy guide at the beginning of the book helps the reader stay focused. Also, a historical guide at the back places truth within the story read. The book is rich with history, yet never bogs you down.

Quite frankly, I loved the book. It's a phenomenally written middle-grade novel that'll appeal to all ages and both genders. (While the main character is female, the detailed stories about Ned and Jinx will keep male readers interested.) It's fascinating, absorbing, and just wonderfully written. It takes you to another time period almost effortlessly and puts you right in on the action. It's a book that'll stick with me, popping up to say hi every time I see a train track.

Young Adult Literature vs. Books With Young Adult Characters

2011-10-21T09:49:00.001-04:00

I was reading a review of Chuck Palahniuk's new book, Damned, when I came across something rather disconcerting. It said, "As a young adult novel, it's surprisingly sweet, hopeful and empowering; as a satire, it's funny, irreverent and hugely entertaining."

Now, if you've ever read Palahniuk, you know the words "sweet" and "hopeful" rarely describe his books. "Grotesque" is more like it. That's not to say I dislike his books - I really enjoyed Fight Club and Survivor, but I wouldn't say any of his self-proclaimed over-the-top, gone-too-far writing as sweet. That said, those adjectives describing the book aren't what disturbed me about the sentence - it's that the book, according to the review's author, is a "young adult novel."

The writer makes this claim because the protagonist of Damned is a 13-year-old girl. To his credit, he does note that it's not the book to give to every young adult, as it is quite graphic and nasty at times. But still, it's not a young adult novel. Palahnuik does not write young adult novels. Just because a main character is 13 does not automatically classify it as a book for teenagers. I'm all for the freedom to read, but even I wouldn't give this book to a 13 year old. (Late high school student, sure, but younger, no.)

There's a big difference between young adult novels and novels with young adult characters - one is written for young adults, while the other is written for adults. With young adult novels, the content is age-appropriate. Sure, many tackle advanced subjects (sex, drugs, etc.), but they do so in a tactile manner. Adult books may do so as well, but they're not aimed at young adults. So they can be more frank, they can be more descriptive. That's not to say young adults don't often read adult books - I know I did at that time - but to market a book as young adult, it should be young adult friendly.

Now, the book is not a young adult book. The publisher didn't publish it saying it was, Palahnuik doesn't make the claim either. However I've seen quite a few reviewers referring to it as this. Admittedly, I haven't read it yet, but I pretty much know what to expect (as reviews have spoiled quite a bit).

So here's my message to reviewers and bloggers - young adult literature is constantly under attack. Many of the books are constantly challenged. Yet, they're not bad. They only approach topics young adults already know about, and want to read about. Keep adult books separate. Damned may be a great book for adults, but it'll just be another battle for librarians and teachers if it's suddenly thought to be young adult.

Book Review: The One That I Want

2011-10-17T19:10:00.000-04:00

The One That I Want
By Allison Winn Scotch
Crown Books
Publication date: June 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0307464514

When I saw the title, The One That I Want, I instantly thought of the movie Grease. Sandy and Danny dancing in the fun house after being reunited as different people. It's epic, it's fun, it's memorable. Sadly, this book isn't any of those. (However, it does reference Grease!)

Tilly loves her life. To her, she has the perfect husband, lives in the perfect town (her hometown), and has the perfect job (guidance counselor at her former high school). She wants a baby to complete the perfection. But there are cracks beneath the surface that Tilly often looks past. In a strange meeting, she's mysteriously given the ability to see the future. She sees her husband moving. She sees her father drinking again. She sees her perfect life slowly deconstructing. Knowing her life can never be as it was again, Tilly must decide if she'll go along with the changes, or stand up for what she believes, and decide to ignore the aspect of perfection.

The One That I Want is overwhelmingly okay. It's a quick read, easy to digest, but a little off-putting I suppose. The story itself was interesting - girls life isn't as perfect as it seems, so she needs to grow and mature and change - but I didn't like the actual girl. Tilly was a fine character, but I never had sympathy for her, never really related to her. When her husband announces wanting to fulfill his lifelong dream and actually try to work for a baseball team, she's upset because it might mean she has to actually leave her hometown. I get wanted to live where you grew up; I get getting acclimated to a lifestyle, however - come on. Support your husband. He's a jerk in it, sure, but he has a point.

After reading Scotch's other book, Time of My Life, I was expecting a magical realism story. And it was granted, in the aspect of Tilly's future-telling ability. But while the plot aspect was necessary for the other book, I found it a bit ridiculous here. It was a good idea for the plot, however Tilly doesn't do much with her knowledge. She barely prepares herself. Instead, she's upset when she sees the future. Worries about it. And then is upset again when the future happens. She grows, yes, but I think her growth can also come without this magical aspect. It's not essential for her to grow.

What I did like about the book was Tilly's relationships with her best friend, her new(er) friend the fortune teller, and the dynamic between her and her younger sister. Scotch writes great relationships. They're real; you can almost feel them. But friendships aren't enough for this book to be perfect.

I really liked Time of My Life, so I wont give up on Scotch. She's got talent, that's for sure. Her writing is great, and her story ideas are very interesting. This book just didn't stick with me.

Weekly Roundup

2011-10-13T09:42:00.000-04:00

I haven't done one of these in a while, so here goes!

The National Book Award finalists have been announced. Have you read any? Honestly, I haven't, however our library just got in Chime, so I'm going to pick it up.
Remember how much I loved Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff? Her follow-up book is finally coming out in March! Called Arcadia, it's about a small, ramshackle town, through the eyes of 13-year-old Brit. If you haven't read Templeton yet and have an e-reader, it's on sale for $2.99 right now.
Earlier this week was National Coming Out Day. What're some of your favorite "coming out" novels? I'm partial to Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. (I wrote about international young adult gay lit titles a while back, over here.)
Next week is Teen Reads Week! Despite the fact that I work in a collegiate library, we're still setting up a display. I'm trying to pick some of my favorites from this past year to showcase. What are some of your favorite young adult titles of this year? Mine has to be Where She Went by Gayle Foreman.
Cracked.com had an interesting article entitled "Six Reasons We're In Another Book Burning Period in History." Sounds awful, right? I can't disagree from the article, though. It's very well-written, and completely true for the most part. Like any other book lover, I'm very much against getting rid of books, but I know it happens. For instance, when I worked for a well-known mega book chain, if a mass-market paperback book didn't sell (the small, $6.99 paperbacks usually found in fiction, sci-fi, and romance sections), and we had way too many in stock, we'd literally throw them in the dumpster. It was against company policy to donate them. (Of course, I'd secretly save some, and donate them as I could. Thankfully, my boss never found out.) That said, libraries are the real issue. The library I work foris going through that situation right now. We're building a cafe, so we have to downsize the reference section. Thankfully, I work for a very affluent college, so it's taking the time and money to donate the books we can't store anymore. But that doesn't happen often. Many libraries are running out of space, and don't have the money to expand. So they have to get rid of books the cheapest way possible, which is simply throwing them out. To donate them would take time and money, because they'd literally have to strip all of their coding devices off the books. Sad, isn't it? The people who protect information are having to get rid of information due to lack of funding.
So what can you do? Support your library!

I'm Back!

2011-10-11T15:28:00.002-04:00

I have returned! After an AMAZING wedding, and 10 days in Italy and Greece, I'm ready to blog again. Expect some updates shortly.

How have you all been?

Mini Break

2011-09-26T16:40:00.004-04:00

HDS will be inactive for the next couple of weeks. Why? Oh, only because I'll be off on my honeymoon!

See you all in two weeks!

Book Review: What Happened to Goodbye

2011-09-21T09:03:00.007-04:00

What Happened to Goodbye
By Sarah Dessen
Viking Juvenile
Publication date: May 10, 2011
ISBN: 978-0670012947

Before I start the review, I want to say that I really quite liked this book. It was fun, introspective, interesting, and familiar. I’m putting this as a forewarning, though, because I’m going to be more critical than normal because it’s a Sarah Dessen book, and I hold her up to high standards.

I’ve said before how Dessen has a familiar formula that she often employs in her books. This book didn’t exactly follow the formula. It was closer to Truth About Forever in the fact, but where in TAF it worked really well, here the lack of normalcy was noticeable. Despite its repetition, I really enjoy her formula. I get why she wants to move away from it, show something new, but I read her books because of the formula. I know there will be problems. I know there will be heartbreak, but at the same time, I know there will be a happy ending. And I love happy endings.

It’s like Blink 182’s new song. It’s exactly like their stuff from 2001, and that’s okay, because it’s what everyone expected and in a way wanted. And while Dessen didn’t deviate too much, it was enough that I noticed it. (Don’t worry, there’s still a lovely happy ending.)

The story follows McClean, who after her parents unexpectedly split up, started becoming different people. She moved a lot, opting to stay with her father over her mother, and every time she’s at a new school, she changes her personality as if she were changing pants. The theatre girl. The cheerleader. In her new town, though, she unexpectedly becomes herself. She uses her real name. But after being someone else for so long, she has to remember who she really is.

In town, she meets a slew of characters that all leave indelible impressions. There's her neighbor Dave, who's extremely smart and has very overprotective parents; Deb, a girl who just wants to be friends with everyone, but never actually has any friends; the outgoing and opinionated Opal who manages the restaurant McClean's dad is there to fix; and more. Each contribute to McClean's slow transformation, taking her out of her created shell and into the real world.

Like Dessen's other books, What Happened to Goodbye, takes place in the familiar town of Lakeview and makes references to characters and places previously mentioned in other books. I love how Dessen created this little world, and continues to add to it, making it bigger to show how there's a story behind each face, each building. This proves especially true in this book, where the main characters create a diorama of the entire city, constructing each little house by hand. I found those to be the most interesting scenes - watching the group work together to create a masterpiece.

Like I said, however, there were a few things I didn't quite love. For one, I found McClean to be simply...okay. Her story was great, and her problematic relationship with her mother was beyond true-to-life. But I never actually loved her. I never got why Dave liked her. Perhaps it's because I found other Dessen characters more developed, more interesting. Heck, I liked Deb more than McClean, and wanted so much more out of her character. Also, I found some of the inner monologue to be...forced. Everything was an analogy; she found inspiration in a rock on the ground. She was so much more than a 17-year-old girl. I love Dessen's writing - and it's not to say that her writing in this book is any worse - but, I just found the analogies to be a bit much after a while. Also, the book focuses more on McClean's personal development much more than her possible relationship with Dave. That's fine, but because of that, I never really got a feel for Dave. He was just...there.

That said, the writing was fantastic like always. Dessen does an amazing job at creating a little town, and a little family, that you really care about. I wanted to eat at the restaurant, Luna Blu; I wanted to visit the library and flip through the books. So, I found the book to be good. It was a great read that I devoured in about two days. I'm glad I read it, I really am. Is it my favorite of Dessen's? Not at all. Will I read the next Dessen when it comes out? You betcha.

Cover Wars: Just My Type

2011-09-20T10:05:00.000-04:00

Because I love fonts, let's check out these two covers.

U.S. version

U.K version

Honestly? They're both terribly catchy. I love the graphic designs on each. But I have to vote for the U.K. cover this time. I just LOVE the color teal, and the simplicity of the cover is extremely catching.

Book Review: Just My Type

2011-09-20T10:02:00.001-04:00

Just My Type: A Book About Fonts
By Simon Garfield
Gotham Books
Publication date: September 1, 2011
ISBN: 9781592406524

Ever since I got my first computer with Microsoft Word, I’ve had a fascination with fonts. I’d change them, memorize their names, decide on personalities for each one. When I ran for drama club secretary in high school, my selling point was that I could identify any font just by glancing at a word. (Believe it or not, I did have friends.)

Of course, that was a while ago, and since then fonts have exploded. Times New Roman isn’t the default anymore. Comic Sans is considered passé. And Helvetica has taken over the world. In Simon Garfield’s new book, Just My Type, he explores these fonts, documenting their lifespans and achievements as if they were children. And in his revealing, fascinating, and often funny account, the fonts somehow become more than just letters, but actual characters in a story.

The book offers a wealth of knowledge in regards to fonts: what makes a font pop; why some fonts are more “trustworthy” than others; why do some fonts have bad reputations; how much does a font say about a product. Some of my favorite passages were about how fonts weaseled their way into popular culture. (Think of album covers, or movie posters. These the right fonts can make them memorable, the wrong ones can make them fade away. Fonts can do that.)

When Ikea changed its font from Futura to Verdana, there was a huge outcry. It was the first time the public had a STRONG opinion about font usage. (The event was called verdanagate, hilariously enough.) Movies will often get fonts wrong; a historical piece set in the 50s will have a font that wasn’t invented until the 70s. When initially created, Comic Sans wasn’t supposed to become a font instilled in every computer. Since then, there have been petitions to rid it from existence. And font creators? Some, such as Gill Sans, have very interesting (and disturbing) back stories.

While a historical read at times, it was a fascinating look at something not often studied. It was never dull, and never dragged. So who will like it? Graphic designers, font lovers, historians. But really? Anyone who’s ever pointed to a sign and though, “ugh, if I ever see Papyrus again, I’ll punch something.”

Like I said – some people take their fonts very seriously.

The Classic Debate

2011-09-15T09:18:00.000-04:00

The other day I was hanging out by the circulation desk while at work, when I saw a patron check in the book Holes.

"I love that book," I told the student assistant working the desk at the time, who was probably around 20.

"Me too. It's such a classic."

The book, by Louis Sachar, is really good. Aimed at middle grade children, it challenges readers to accept fantastical journeys and realistic ideas at the same time. Truly, wonderful. But a classic?

When I think of a children's book that's a classic, I think A Wrinkle in Time, The Cat in the Hat, Charlotte's Web. But Holes? Holes seems so...new.

It got me thinking - what exactly is a classic? In regards to books, the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as:

A work of literature, music, or art of acknowledged quality and enduring significance or popularity. In extended use: something which is memorable and an outstanding example of its kind..

Holes has received the National Book Award and the Newbery Medal; it has clearly shown quality. It's quite popular, and was made into a movie. But here's where I'm stuck - "in extended use." It has survived this round of children, but what about the next?

This reminds me of the "fiction" vs. "literature" debate I had in class years ago. What is literature? How is it different than fiction? When our teacher asked us, our answers ranged:

A book that's survived decades and is still read; an award-winning book; a book that's studied in school; a well-loved book.

While those answers were all fine, they could apply to so many different books. The thing is, we weren't far from the Oxford English Dictionary's definition:

Written work valued for superior or lasting artistic merit.

Okay. That makes sense. But are all older books that are still loved considered literature? How many people have to love them for them to change? And, more important, when does a book cross realms from fiction to literature? Who makes that decision? Is there a job to define books, and if so, can I apply?

For instance, I think The Kite Runner can one day be considered "literature," but how long does the book have to wait until it receives the honor? I think The Giver is considered a classic, but is that a common assumption?

Maybe that's just is. Maybe there isn't a magical person who waves his wand and decides what makes a classic. Maybe it's us who decide, who give a new honor to a book. Maybe if we love The Giver enough, it'll one day be considered a classic children's book. Or Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. Or, even, Holes.

Maybe each generation has its own new wealth of books they consider classics. Some survive time, some fade away, but here's the important part - classic or not, they're all important. They're all loved. And, perhaps, if lucky, all considered a classic in someone's eyes.

Weekly Roundup

2011-09-07T14:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, perhaps this isn't the beginning of the week, but that doesn't stop me from posting links, no does it?

I'm sure you've seen it by now, but there's an adorable (and heartbreaking) illustrated version of the famous song by David Bowie, "Space Oddity." While the artist, Andrew Kolb, didn't intend for it to become a sensation, it kind of did. So much so, that he's now been forced to blur the lyrics on his website (see picture above) and note that he's not publishing it, due to copyright issues. Sad, considering it really is well done. Of course, many sites are still displaying the un-blurred pages, so if you haven't seen it, check it out here.
The Guardian has an article entitled Megan Abbot's Top 10 Novels of Teenage Friendship. While the books mentioned do contain a great amount of teenage friendships, as well as literary merit, it interesting to note that the article omits any books actually geared towards the age group discussed (young adult novels). It’s as if adult books are the only ones considered worthy, and that's not the case at all, in my opinion. (Note: There will clearly be a longer post on this in the future. Just warning you!) What do you think?
The Atlantic has an article called What People Don't Get About My Job: From A(rmy Soldier) to Z(oo Keeper). It's a neat read, and showcases how many people do more than meets the eye. So let's look at L(ibrarian):

People have made an extremely strong link between librarians, libraries and books. This is only natural, but it really sells short the full value of libraries and the full scope of librarian work. Libraries offer so much more than moldy old books. There's also music, movies, TV shows, video games, and electronic databases that span a whole galaxy of scholarly and practical information unavailable to any level of googling. Additionally, libraries offer free internet access that is utterly vital in many poor and rural communities. As government services migrate online, good citizenship almost requires an internet connection. Libraries also provide a free space for local groups and communities and have been at the forefront of job search training and computer instruction. Coordinating all of this are the humble librarians. We are not mere cart pushers, let me assure you. This job requires a Masters degree for a reason.

I completely agree. It's easy to see us as simply those people who check in books, but there's so much more we do. Honest.

Book Discussion: Ready Player One

2011-09-07T09:22:00.000-04:00

I finished Ready Player One this past weekend. Even though Samir already gave you a nice overview and review, I figured I’d add my impression of the book. Quite simply? It was fun!

It’s an adventure story at heart, which I loved. After five years, a teenagers figures out the first clue of a puzzle. Not an adult, not a ruthless company, a TEENAGER. From there, the chase is on to see who can figure out the next clue. And the next. And along the way, there are millions of obstacles thrown in the path. And while some challenges felt too easy (like, really, how does anyone know that much about the 80s?), it was all good fun. Because you wanted him to win, no matter what.

But what I liked most about the book was that there was more to the characters. Aside from trying to find this egg, and gain control of the entire OASIS, they also had real feelings – friendships, relationships, enemies. With such a fake world around them, the real emotions showcased were refreshing. It reminded you that humanity still exists, even if it’s a bit disguised.

The author does a great job at creating this futuristic America that feel so…frighteningly real. I mean, I can see our country going in this direction, and that’s awful. A world where the best interaction is one found online. A world where people don’t care to step outside anymore, because their “real world” is inside a computer. Second Life is mighty popular, after all.

And while the majority of the story does take place inside this virtual world, there is real danger afoot. It felt cheap at first – if a player’s character dies on the OASIS, they can just create a new one. No harm done, right? Wrong. As the game progresses, real world dangers become more apparent, and the characters have more at stake. I really liked that. It gave the story more of an edge.

So who’s this book for? Definitely a child of the 80s. References are on every page, from video game characters to movie lines. And while they do play a major role, I honestly think someone with not as much familiarity with the time period will enjoy it. While you may not get an offhand comment, you'll still get the plot. I can see this being, much like Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, a cult book for young adults as well. (Fun fact: Cory Doctorow is actually mentioned in the book.)

But mostly, it’s a book for anyone who likes a good adventure. But rather than racing through time or across foreign lands, this one takes place all within the computer. It’s interesting to see how times have changed, and that an adventure can be completely virtual. But it is, and that doesn’t take any amount of pleasure away from it. Truly, Ready Player One is a great book – one I can definitely see getting a huge following, especially after the movie is released.

Cover Wars: Ready Player One

2011-08-31T12:14:00.000-04:00

If you haven't heard already, Ready Player One is huge. In one day, I saw reviews for it on NPR, Entertainment Weekly, and AVClub. Really, it's everywhere. So it's not surprising that it's been published in numerous countries. Thanks to author Cline's website, here are its various covers:

United States

United Kingdom

Norway

Spain

These are all really great (and really wonderfully dorky). I have to say, though, my favorite is the United State's version. I love how clean and bright it is. Both the UK and Spain ones are pretty great as well (this coming from a big Space Invaders fan). The Norway one looks a bit too Philip K. Dick to me, but that's just my opinion. What do you think?

Side note: After Samir finished it, I started it. I know quite a bit about 80s pop culture, so I'm loving the references. Let's just say on page one there's already a Ghostbusters reference.

Book Review: Ready Player One

2011-08-31T11:18:00.000-04:00

Ready Player One
By Ernest Cline
Random House
Publication date: August 16, 2011
ISBN:978-0307887436

Book review by Samir Mathur

The year is 2044. Thanks to wars, widespread poverty, and the ever-decaying environment, the world is crumbling. The one salvation in most people’s lives is the OASIS – an immersive computerized experience where many people spend the vast majority of their lives. I don’t know much about the game Second Life, but I understand it’s similarly all-encompassing. Anyway, the creator of the OASIS has just died, and he left an Easter Egg hidden somewhere in the universe. The first person to crack a series of cryptic clues and find the Egg wins the late creator’s entire fortune, somewhere in the “hundreds of billions of dollars” range. On your marks…

So that’s the background for Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One. Cline has already earned his nerd credentials by writing the 2009 film Fanboys, and he really stretches his geeky wings on his debut novel. The OASIS creator, it turns out, was a massive fan of the 1980s, and so the quest is loaded with nods to that time period. Whether the main character, Wade, is reenacting the entirety of WarGames or playing as a CG wizard in the ancient video game Joust, references to that decade abound. I am not particularly well-versed in 80s trivia, or video games, so most of the references went over my head, but that didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of the story. I’m surprised there’s no nod to Tron, though, since the two share a videogame-within-videogame conceit.

Not surprisingly for a novel set in such a specific universe, there is a lot of set-up, and a few sections of exposition that tend to get a little slow. Wade, an 18 year old from Oklahoma, is a fun narrator – he doesn’t have any friends outside of the OASIS, and becomes a sensation when he is the first person in the world to crack the first part of the code. For a while, the story moves ahead at a reasonable pace, but there’s no real sense of danger. It’s just a scavenger hunt in an online universe – who cares? The enemy comes in the shape of the Sixers – corporate goons who are also searching for the Egg and the cash reward it promises. And they aren’t afraid to resort to murder – in the real world – to get it first.

The novel does a great job of describing how teenagers use the Internet – all the hacking, chats, blogs, emails and other things that I’m already too old to fully understand. Wade bonds with some other strangers also on the hunt, but obviously they are rivals so they can’t be trusted with too much information. As I said earlier, the story has its lulls, but the final third is all action-packed. Also, it involves giant fighting robots, so that’s pretty neat. There are some vastly underdeveloped points about discrimination based on race and sexual orientation, which don’t fit in the tone of the book at all, and those could’ve been left out.

Minor quibbles aside, it’s an impressive first novel. The narrative arc – lots of people chasing one prize – is old but effective, and there’s no lack of creativity or originality in Cline’s work. I’m not really the type of nerd that this is aimed at, but I found myself really getting into it, particularly in that final third that I talked about. It’s an adventure, and everyone’s playing, so why not join in?

Official website
Book trailer

Weekly Roundup - The Death of Books

2011-08-30T09:47:00.002-04:00

Rather than posting a bunch of links this week, I'm going to showcase only one:

The Death of Books Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

There's been a lot of talk about the death of books, and this article overviews how the party is not quite over. And while eBooks are advancing, physical copies aren't going away so soon.

A lot of friends and family ask me what I think of the whole eBook revolution. (Books are my life, so I suppose it's only natural to see what I think.) I'm not one who's against progress. I grabbed onto the Internet before my parents knew what what email was. I have an iPhone. I'm pretty sure I only have about five CDs left of my larger high school collection. (Clearly the best were salvaged - such as Madonna's Immaculate Collection and the soundtrack to The Lion King.)

I can understand the excitement and accessibility of eBooks. For instance, last night I helped a patron find a book. We only had it as an eBook, so I showed her how to access it from home. She was so surprised - she didn't have to buy it? She could use it for as long as she wanted? She could copy/paste quotes into her paper? Yes! It is, clearly, quite neat. And eReaders? Such convenience. Rather than carrying a mountain of paperbacks on my honeymoon, I can just bring one small Kindle and have everything there. Want a new book? Just click download.

It's fascinating, really, how at your fingertips the eBook revolution is. I like how accessible books are. I like how people are buying more books because of this. I like that it's creating a discussion within not just the literary world, but the normal world as well. What other time had my uncle inquired about my view on the publishing world?

That said, I don't own an eReader. I just haven't wanted one, and here's my reason: I like physical copies of books. I like staring at their covers, and learning the different meanings of the images as I read on. I like turning the pages - there's something lovely and romantic about it. I like the smell of the bindings. I like snuggling with a book on the couch after a long day of staring at a computer screen. (That said, I don't want to come home and stare at, yet, another computer screen.) And I like staring at our five bookcases and seeing all the different titles.

I feel like my bookcase is a timeline of my life. There are the classics that I read (and accidentally "borrowed") in high school, when I didn't get the importance of symbolism or Huck Finn; the Bret Easton Ellis-type books for when I just wanted guys in college to like me; the beatnik collection from the days when I stopped caring and wanted to drive across the country; the chick lit from the breakups and heartaches; and the young adult novels from when adult life got too bothersome. I can remember when I read each book. I can recall who I forced to read it afterwards.

And I'm not the type of person to keep my books in new, pristine condition. Oh no. They have highlighting and underlining, reminding me of passages I loved. They have pages bent and bent again. My copy of Perks of Being a Wallflower has pages falling out due to too much use. But that's what gives it character. When a friend spilled a cinnamon-scented oil candle on it, I was upset at first. But then, I let the smell overtake me, and now every time I walk into a Yankee Candle or Cracker Barrel I think of Charlie and friends.

So what do I think of the revolution? I think it's interesting. I'm not unhappy about the new development at all. I'm all for it, especially if it's getting more people to read. In the end, reading is reading, no matter how it's done. However, for me? I'll stick to physical books. That way, come a brilliant page-turning ending, I can give the book a hug, and almost feel it hugging me back.

Play Review: Spring Awakening

2011-08-29T15:30:00.000-04:00

Spring Awakening
By Frank Wedekind

I’m a firm believer in the whole “book is better than the movie” train of thought. Books offer so much more, so much that a movie just can’t replicate. That’s not to say there aren’t good adaptations – oh, there are quite a few – I’m just usually a fan of the book more.

But what about book to musical adaptations? Admittedly, I don’t know many. I’ve read Catch Me If You Can, but I haven’t seen the new(er) musical. I know the songs to Les Miserables quite well, but never have I read the lengthy tomb (although it is on my ‘ to be read’ list). So I decided to test this, see how a musical adds or takes away from an original novel or play. In this case, after seeing the musical earlier this year, I read Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind.

There’s a ton of controversy that surrounds the original German play, written in 1890. It wasn’t performed until 1906 (heavily censored), and then not again for numerous years. It was banned in many countries and, at the time of the printing of the text I read, hadn’t even had a major production. (The musical didn’t come around until 2006.)

The play earned the subtitle, “A Children’s Tragedy,” and it’s rightfully so. Taking place in 1890s Germany, it’s about children who grow up sexually-oppressed. While, like every other teenager, they have changes in their bodies and thoughts, they’re never given an explanation. They're shunned into thinking puberty is bad. The stork brings babies. The play shows why knowledge is important, and how ignoring an experience does not make it go away.

While it’s an ensemble cast, the main characters are Wendla Bermann, a 14-year old who begs her mom to tell her where babies come from (to no avail); Melchior Gabor, a 14-year old atheist who actually has knowledge of sex and passes it on; and Moritz Stiefel, Melchior’s best friend who is traumatized by his “stirrings,” and doesn’t understand what’s going on. The play follows their progression, and how their lack of knowledge leads to both forced and accidental tragedy. Other child characters include the promiscuous and adventurous Ilse; Hanschen and Ernst, two boys who realize they’re gay; and Martha, who’s abused by her father.

The play is very short, and the message rings clear within only a few pages. It’s a well-written play but ultimately, it’s incredibly depressing. Everything that happens is a lesson. And while I fully agree with the message, and believe it should have been said back then, there’s little light, if any at all.It was fascinating to see how far parents would go from letting their children learn about, well, their bodies.

What I found to be most interesting was that most of the action was off-stage, and only spoken about. When Moritz learns he’s failed his exams, we only learn about it later through a letter he writes to Melchior’s mother. When Wendla’s secret is revealed, it’s in conversation, as if the audience already knew. It was an interesting technique to use, however I felt like I missed out on so much. I wish I saw the characters' reactions, rather than learning of their news second hand. It was almost distracting, trying to keep up.

Now was it better than the musical? Honestly, I don’t think so. The play was good – definitely – and served as amazing base material, however I feel like the musical added more. I feel like the characters were better defined through it. In the play they felt like just faces, people acting a part; in the musical, they had more of a background, more to say. The songs added, the additional scenes added. Plus, more scenes were shown, rather than just referred to.

So will I read the play again? Probably not, but I’m very happy I did. It was enlightening, if not inspiring.

Weekly Roundup

2011-08-23T08:59:00.000-04:00

Here are some of my favorite book-related links from last week:

Now that I'm a librarian, I have this die-hard love of everything relating to the profession. AbeBooks recently posted an article about books written about and/or by librarians that's really quite interesting!

While the summer may be coming to an end, I just discovered NPR's summer book guide. While I've only read one book mentioned (naturally in the YA category...sigh), Samir's read quite a few (Swamplandia and Sex on the Moond)and highly recommends them.

The Book Bench has a look at what's on Obama's reading list. (Spoiler: lots of fiction.)

When I was an English teacher, I was really big on pairing classics with more contemporary novels. (ex: Catcher in the Rye with The Perks of Being a Wallflower). The Hub has some new YA novels that match up with classics.

Last, author Kiersten White hilarious explains the different YA novel genres. (sample: "Type of creature that the boy is does not matter, so long as he mysteriously broods in well-muscled agony.")

I never do quizes, but...

2011-08-19T14:55:00.002-04:00

...the answer to this was quite amusing. While I don't consider myself dark and brooding, how appropriate is it that my answer is the book that inspired this blog's name?

You're Prufrock and Other Observations!
by T.S. Eliot

Though you are very short and often overshadowed, your voice is poetic and lyrical. Dark and brooding, you see the world as a hopeless effort of people trying to impress other people. Though you make reference to almost everything, you've really heard enough about Michelangelo. You measure out your life with coffee spoons.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Book Review: Uglies

2011-08-19T14:29:00.000-04:00

Uglies
By Scott Westerfeld
Simon Pulse
Publication date: February 8, 2005
ISBN: 978-0689865381

I had heard a lot about the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. I remember specifically when it came out. I was working at Waldenbooks, and my co-worker Jeff and I unpacked a few. We stared for a bit, and then just laughed. You could imagine how excited we were when the sequel, Pretties, came out. I'm pretty sure there's a picture of us with the books over our faces - me as a "pretty," him as an "ugly." (Had I read the series prior to the photo, I probably would have preferred being an ugly.) That said, years later, I finally did decide to read the first book in the series, despite the title that once had me laughing.

Uglies, the first book in the series, is yet another dystopian young adult novel. In this world, everyone is born "ugly" (as in, normal looking). Around 12 you move out from your parents house and live in a teenage-type dormetory. You go to school, make friends, live a normal life. At 16, you get an operation that makes you "pretty." As a pretty, you look stunning. Perfect hair, teeth, eyes, life. You move to the pretty town and party all day. Eventually, you move out and get a job, but you're still pretty. Of course, every child grows up awaiting the day they'll change. Everyone, that is, except Shay. But the story doesn't follow Shay, it follows her friend, Tally Youngblood. With her best friend, already a pretty, Tally is awaiting her change. But then she becomes friends with Shay. And then Shay runs away forever, opting for a life of uncertainty, over a predictable pretty life. Tally is brought in and told that she can't become pretty until she tells them where Shay has gone to. So then, Tally has to make a decision.

The concept itself is interesting. I commend Westerfeld most for making the operation, while terrible, sound almost tempting. If everyone was pretty, there would be no bullying, no competition. Eating disorders would be gone. No envy, no hatred. Who wouldn't give everything up for that? But of course, there are risks too, and when Westerfeld reveals them through the character David, Tally's somewhat love interest, you see that being pretty isn't as wonderful as its portrayed to be. I found those scenes the most interesting - those away from the pretty land, and inside the wilderness.

That was, perhaps, my favorite part of the book. How convincing it was. Other than that, the story fell a bit flat. There were moments of excitement - Tally zoming through the air on her hoverboard, the numerous chase sequences, the fire burning - but a lot of interior dread by Tally. And that became my biggest complaint. I never actually loved Tally. As a character, she was fine. She was determined and headstrong, but I found Shay more interesting. I did appreciate that Tally grew by the end of the book, but it almost felt forced.

The land created was good. Another new version of America where everything is perfect. It felt very much like The Giver. You never get to meet those governing forces, but you do learn about this book's bad guys, the specials. And they're a bit frightening.

To its credit, Uglies came out far before the dystopian trend started. It was a disservice to Westerfeld's book that I read so many other similar novels prior, but that's just what happened. I'm bored with the concept, and thus the book ultimately bored me. I've seen the theme done better. It's not a bad book by far. It's very well written, and a great idea. As a story, I did enjoy it but, but I'm not running out to start the sequel quite yet.

Cover Wars: The Night Circus

2011-08-16T21:04:00.000-04:00

Here's another round of cover wars. This time, The Night Circus. Let's go!

First up, the U.S. edition:

Next, the UK version:

Okay, first off, if I were a writer, I'd be ridiculously pleased with either cover. They're both gorgeous. I have to say, though, I'm hands down 100% for the U.S. version. That's not to say I don't like the U.K. version. I do, quite a bit. It shows Celia and Marco, and the circus tent, and a little bit of mystery. But the U.S. one is better for the story. The romance is sweet, but it's not as important as the circus itself. I love that it has the clock, which is a side story in the book. But mostly, I love that it's held in a hand - showing how one person (or, I guess, two people) are holding the entire thing together. Celia and Marco quite literally hold the circus in the palm of their hands.

Which cover is your favorite?

Book Review: The Night Circus

2011-08-16T14:31:00.000-04:00

The Night Circus
By Erin Morgenstern
Doubleday
Publication date: September 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0385534635

I was excited about The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern for two reasons. 1) It’s about a circus, and I make it my quest to read every circus-related book out there (for obvious reasons). 2) It’s had a TON of buzz. A ton of excellent buzz. It was the hit of multiple book festivals, and already has a movie deal in place (with the producer of the Harry Potter film producing it!) So, clearly I had to read it. And I’m so glad I did.

The Night Circus isn’t your average circus story. There aren’t three rings, there isn’t a top hat wearing ringmaster bellowing cues, and horses don't happily prance in circles. This circus feels more like a joint-produced Tim Burton and Audrey Niffenegger spectacle. Full of dark, twisty lines and an ominous feel. Nothing can be explained, yet no one wants an explanation to make the enchantment feel less real. (Actually, the book very much reminded me of Her Fearful Symmetry, with a dash of Big Fish’s magic.)

Le Cirque des Rêves arrives without warning, as the story starts. Overnight, a town's empty field is magically filled with black and white tents, all connected by a snaking sidewalk. It's only open at night, and it's worth staying up late for. Because inside, the unexplainable happens. Each small tent has its own act. There's the acrobat tent, where trapeze artists fly above the spectator's heads; the lion tamer's area; a tent full of ice; a tent that lets guests jump from cloud to cloud; and the illusionists tent, where audience members watch as the performer disappears and reappears.

But things aren't as they seem. Inside the circus, a battle is in place, one that was created years ago. Celia, the illusionist, is dueling with Marco, the owner's apprentice (who also happens to be an illusionist). They've both trained since childhood and, unknown to them, only one can be left standing. This is a place where illusions are real - things can change by using ones mind - and there's no slight-of-hand involved. So when they start falling for one another, things get complicated. And the fate of the entire circus lies in their hands.

A dramatic premise, sure, but it's deserved. The book asks for drama, with its black-spine pages and rich designs between chapters. The characters jump from the pages, having motivations of their own. There's a lot of belief infused as well. Without realizing it, you start to believe that magic is real. You start to feel like part of the circus, knowing the ins and outs of each tent, and which candy tastes best. You're a spectator wearing red to show your support of the black-and-white themed spectacle. It's an enthralling experience, reading the book.

The book is good, dead good. The prose is beautiful, and lets you easily visualize the wondrous things happening. It's engaging and captivating, everything you could hope for in a work of fantasy. Taking place in the late 1800s, early 1900s, it creates this historic, period feel that works. It puts a special touch to a time period that was missing hope and, well, magic. And the book was far from a simple love story. There are so many interweaving plots that Celia and Marco's tournament just become one part of a giant machine. (Granted, it's the glue that holds everything together, but still - the sub-plots are just as important and just as interesting.) The characters are amazing, and I even started to hope the circus was real, and that it would appear in my neighborhood next month.

I don't want to give away too much, because it's a book that needs to be devoured. It can't be spoiled, because there's so much involved. It's a book you need to read in a few days, despite its size; you can't leave it alone and come back to it. Stick with it and let yourself get wrapped in the warped, fantastical world.

See the book trailer here.

Weekly Roundup

2011-08-15T18:05:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm done with graduate school (yay!) and working at a library full-time (double yay!), I'm going to start updating HDS with a Weekly Roundup of neat book-related things I've found around the Internet. Cool? Okay, here goes:

Remember how much I love John Green? Chalk this up as another reason why he's awesome. If you pre-order his newest book, The Fault in Our Stars, you're guaranteed a signed first edition. Neat right? So...do it.
All this month, Harper Perennial is selling 20 of their top e-books for...99 cents. Check out all the details here. (Many of the books on sale were reviewed on this blog...including the hilarious Everything is Going to Be Great by Rachel Shukert).
Remember when a few months ago a few "lost" Dr. Seuss stories were discovered? (Okay, they'd all been previously published in magazines, but never in book-form). They're finally going to be published as a book by Random House this September.
Pottermore is officially up and running for a few select users! Here's EW's discussion of the site. (For those wondering, a few people were able to sign up for early access. Those accounts are slowly being activated. I was lucky enough to get an early account, but it's still not up and running. Once it is, find me! My HP name is MidnightChaser133.)

Book Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabaret

2011-08-14T08:53:00.000-04:00

The Invention of Hugo Cabaret
By Brian Selznick
Scholastic
Publication Date: January 20, 2007
ISBN: 978-0439813785

There's a lovely line in The Invention of Hugo Cabaret that states, "If you've ever wondered where your dreams come from when you got o sleep at night, just look around. This is where they are made," (p. 387). While the line is referring to films, in my mind it's also giving credit to Selznick's brilliantly imaginative book. To those young, it brings to life mermaids and spaceman, and to those older, it brings back the idea that hope and imagination do not need to be lost with age.

It's 1931 and 12-year-old Hugo Cabaret lives in the Paris train station. By day he's the clock master, climbing through the walls to ensure all of the clocks run smoothly. By night, he's an inventor, trying to piece together an invention his father found years ago. He believes that once the automation - a machine that creates human-like actions - is complete, he'll find one last message from his father. Of course, his plan is both interrupted and guided along by the nearby toy store owner and his goddaughter, Isabelle. And in time, Hugo learns his invention is connected to more people than just himself, and that it'll unlock more secrets than just that of his father.

The story is told in both text and graphics. It's not a graphic novel - there aren't words for each picture, and a picture for each page, and it's not a flip book. Instead, it's a 526-page book that features nearly 300 pages of beautifully sketched drawings - made my by the author himself - that help guide along the story.

Selznick's book is fantastically imaginative, and an overall wonderful read. The story is may seem simple, but it has many layers with an overall reveal at the end. And the drawings only add to the emotions created. Hugo is a great protagonist, filled with wonder and curiosity and anger, like any other 12-year-old. And Isabelle is an adorable sidekick who has more punch and spark than many other children her age. There's also a decent amount of real history woven in delicately, inspiring future reads.

While it is a children's book, The Invention of Hugo Cabaret is a fantastic book for every age. It's a story full of clockwork and wonder. One of mechanics and dreams. Of youth and old age. It shows that while magic may, in the end, have an explanation, that doesn't make it less...magical.

The film version, Hugo, comes out November 23, 2011. See the trailer here.

See the book's official website here.
See a video of the book here.
Find fun games at the Scholastic site.

Trailer: Hugo

2011-08-13T09:57:00.000-04:00

I just watched this trailer for Hugo, based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabaret by Brian Selznick and...wow.

I'm halfway through the book right now (which is a neat combination of text and images), and the trailer looks just great. First off, Jude Law. Enough. Second, Chloe Moretz, who I adore. (And who's character, Hit Girl, I might have portrayed last Halloween.) Third, relatively unknown Asa Butterfield, who plays Hugo, is absolutely adorable. Fourth, Martin Scorsese as director. And fifth - it looks beautiful. I'm excited for a children's film that looks smart, and not just...Smurfs-like.

Anyway, I'm quite excited. What do you think?

(Review of book forthcoming!)

A Stately Affair

2011-08-11T16:16:00.002-04:00

Photo from Orlando Sentinel

Publisher’s Weekly recently posted an interesting article entitled “The United States of Writers.” The author designated a famous/notable author to each state. Some were obvious (Maine’s was Stephen King), some were not-well-known (Missouri’s was Mark Twain – he was actually born in Florida, Missouri), and some were kind of funny (apparently Alaska isn’t known for its writers). The one that sparked my interest, though, was Florida.

Let’s be honest. Even though I’ve lived in Florida for just over 15 years, I still don’t fully consider myself a Floridian. The term Floridian makes me think of cowboys (crackers – yes, they were called that), flamingos (even though they aren’t originally from here), and the Everglades (a place I still haven’t been to). Don’t get me wrong, I like the state well-enough (I did write about its history and attractions for two years after all) and I quite enjoy living here, but I’m hardly offended when anyone makes an anti-Florida joke.

But I have to admit – I was rather taken aback by the article’s disregard to Florida. I quote: “One of the weakest states relative to size and population. Without Hemingway propping up the state with his Key West home, would have very little to write home about.” Sentence error aside, the writer completely negates every writer that has called the state home. Yes, there was Hemmingway (who IS Key West), but what about Zora Neale Hurston who has a yearly festival devoted to her? Or Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings who wrote The Yearling and has a state park named after her? Or Marjorie Stoneman Douglas who saved the Everglades? Heck, we even had Tennessee Williams and Hunter S. Thompson off and on for a bit. And don’t forget our more recent transplants, like Meg Cabot and the goddess of literature Judy Bloom? John Green lived here and wrote about the state, and he’s extremely popular in the YA world. Fiction and comic book author Brad Meltzer had a History channel show inspired by his books. Okay, perhaps they aren’t all claiming to be Floridians, but you can’t completely forget about them.

Oh, and let’s not forget Patrick Smith, who’s A Land Remembered is the pinnacle of Florida literature.

Don’t get me wrong. Carl Hiaasen is a fantastic choice. He’s ridiculously well-known, and his books take place here. He does scream Florida, and I’m glad he was chosen. I’m just simply pointing out that the state does have more “to write home about.”

Florida is far from New York, but it’s got some literary credit. So before calling it a Dakota, check out who’s been here. It may surprise you.

Mad Men Books

2011-08-09T21:58:00.001-04:00

We all know I love the TV show Mad Men. After watching the first episode I was hooked. In a month, Samir and I managed to watch all three initial seasons (thanks to the library), letting us enjoy the fourth season as it aired. But now...now it's on hiatus. So what's a girl to do without some Don Drapper in her life?

I stumbled upon a neat reading guide created by AMC, which lists all of the books the characters read in the show. Check it out!

Season 1
• Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
• The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe
• Exodus by Leon Uris
• Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence

Season 2
• The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
• Meditations in an Emergency by Frank O'Hara
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter
• The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

Season 3
• Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy
• The Group by Mary McCarthy
• The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

Season 4
• The Chrysanthemum and the Sword by Ruth Benedict
• The Clue of the Black Keys by Carolyn Keene
• The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré

Much like how I loved the book Mad Men Unbuttoned, I think this reading list gives another layer of understanding to the show's central characters. Why was Don reading O'Hara? Does Betty feel like one of the women in The Group? (More than likely).

While not mentioned in the show, I feel like Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann should be added as well. It's such a haunting and classic portrait of up-and-coming youths in 1960s New York City. Betty could be any of these women in a different circumstance. I read this when I was 21 (perfect age) and loved it.

Another fascinating read is From Those Wonderful Folks Who Brought You Pearl Harbor: Front Line Dispatches from the Advertising War by Jerry Della Femina. The show was losely inspired by this non-fiction account of advertising in the 1960s. I managed to find this during Border's closing sale, and greedily devoured it. It's absolutely fascinating to see how advertising has changed since then.

Back to the original list. I've only read two of these books previously (The Sound and the Fury and Meditations in an Emergency), so I've got a lot to look forward to. I think I'll start with Lady Chatterley's Lover. Joan really loved that book...

Cover Wars: The Ghost of Greenwich Village

2011-08-03T09:21:00.000-04:00

When I got a copy of The Ghost of Greenwich Village to read, it had this cover:

Yet, when the book was published, it had this cover:

I find each cover to be completely different. The first makes it out to be more of a fun romance, with a ghost twist. The second cover has a more gritty feel, making the book look more like a fictional novel than chick lit. While I originally really liked the first book cover, I think I prefer the new in the end. It gives the book a whole different feel, and I like that.

What about you?

Book Review: The Ghost of Greenwich Village

2011-08-03T09:18:00.001-04:00

The Ghost of Greenwich Village: A Novel
By Lorna Graham
Ballantine Books
Publication date: June 28, 2011
ISBN: 978-0345526212

The Ghost of Greenwich Village is part fiction, part fantasy. Eve Weldon has moved to Greenwich Village to follow in the footsteps of her deceased mother. There, she hopes to uncover her mother's secrets, and have a fabulous, inspiring, exciting life of her own. But it doesn't come easy and at first she finds the city scary and unkind - and also realizes that a ghost of a former Beat writer is living in her apartment. But Eve goes on, getting a job writing for a morning talk show and helping Donald, the ghost, create his last great story. As she wonders if the Beat world her mother knew faded, she finds new ways to stay inspired, through unlikely friendships and the magic of the city itself.

I enjoyed The Ghost of Greenwich Village; it was an easy read that left me inspired. It wasn't magical or incredibly life changing, but it was delightful. But I also found it to be almost too coincidental, to the point that it wasn't relatable anymore. Of course she's invited out by the famous fashion designer. Of course her friend gets her the perfect job. Of course the ghost can help her get published. I guess that's just part of the fantasy element of it.

Speaking of, the story has two plots, and I found the "fantasy" type one far more interesting. There's the story of Eve getting by - living day to day and writing for the morning show. Her dating escapades. Her flashbacks to her mother. Then, there's the plot involving Donald, the ghost, and his whole back story. While I really liked Eve - I found her to be an interesting and sympathetic main character - I found the ghost plot to be far more interesting. Eve's was fine, but I loved Donald's backstory, which is slowly revealed. I loved the stories of his friends, and the common references to the well-known Beat artists and writers. And I even enjoyed Eve's progress as she uncovered every story, and truth. That part fascinated me, and I found it to shine among the main plot.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. I did; it was a fun story that kept me going. I love exploring New York City through books, and taking a dip back in time through characters. As mentioned, I liked Eve and enjoyed the other non-main characters, such as Mattias Kleig (the reclusive fashion designer), Gwendolyn (the clothes store employee who believes outfits and people have perfect matches), and Donald (the Beat writer who lives in Eve's house and has a penchant for melodrama). It may not have been a perfect book, but it was an engaging story that took me only a few days to read. And by the end, I felt attached to the characters - mostly Donald - and wanted to hear what came next.

Cool extras:
Eve often looks for markers noting where famous authors lived. Find author Graham's map here.

Book Review: Sisterhood Everlasting

2011-07-27T10:49:00.000-04:00

Sisterhood Everlasting
By Ann Brashares
Random House
Publication date: June 14, 2011
ISBN: 9780385521222

Sisterhood Everlasting is shocking, to say the least. It's not what anyone thought the followup novel of the beloved four-book young adult series about magical pants would be like. It's been both criticized and praised because of that. And while I was one of the criticizers in the beginning, by the end, I really quite liked it. Despite the lack of hope at times. Despite the sorrow. Despite the interesting direction. It was an inspired ending to the series.

Going into this book, it should be noted that it's fiction and not young adult literature. That should say something. It starts 10 years after the fourth book in the series, Forever in Blue. The girls, while still friends, are all separate and going through their own struggles. Carmen is a very successful actress in New York, and is engaged to be married. She's lost her childhood weight, and is permanently glued to her iPhone. Lena is teaching art in Rhode Island, living a very secluded life. While she still keeps up with her friends, she finds herself wondering what would have happened if she opened herself to Kostos all those years ago. Bridget is in San Francisco, bouncing from job to job and house to house, still with Eric. While she's happy with her life, she still has the urge to run and find something more - find her sunshine. And Tibby is in Australia with Brian. After a few scripts of hers were never produced, she moved with him when he was offered a terrific position. But she's grown distant and unconnected.

That is, until Tibby reaches out to her friends and sends them all tickets to meet her back in Greece, where their magical pants were lost 10 years ago. And that's where the story starts.

It's interesting to see how the characters I grew to love in four books evolved over time. Some I could have predicted (Bridget), others I was a bit shocked about (Tibby). But despite everything, it felt natural. Because people change over time, and life isn't nearly as easy as it was back in high school.

I can't say much more about the book without giving the main conflict away, which presents itself around 80 pages in. But I will say something drastic happens, and the remainder of the book shows how the girls deal with the situation. And how the situation both separates them and brings them together, letting them realize how it's important to actually live a life, and not simply exist in it. You can't count on others to prop you up, but you can count on them to be there for you and help you through the bad times. The girls individually find themselves, and become something more in the end.

While the book definitely didn't go in directions I expected - or even loved - in the end, I'm very happy I read it and saw what happened to the girls. I might have thrown the book in surprise/anger at one point, but I think that's what makes a great read - writing that makes you feel. It's a breathtaking, tearful ending to one of my favorite young adults series.

Book Review: Baby Be Mine

2011-07-26T13:49:00.000-04:00

Baby Be Mine
By Paige Toon
Simon & Schuster
Publication date: July 21, 2011
ISBN: 9781849831260

As a writer, Paige Toon does one of my favorite things - she continues her stories without necessarily writing sequels. At the end of Johnny Be Good (spoiler alert), we learn that Meg is pregnant, but she's unsure if the father is her loving boyfriend, Christian, or her former employer - the rock God Johnny Jefferson. Toon's next book, Chasing Daisy, while not a sequel, does give light on the answer. The main character, Daisy, sees Meg with a baby that almost certainly has Johnny's eyes. Toon could have stopped there, leaving the characters as is, but instead, she decided to bring the characters back to life, with her follow up book to Johnny Be Good, entitled Baby Be Mine. And I'm so glad she did.

As the book starts, it's Barney's first birthday and Meg is absolutely certain that her boyfriend is not the father. And yet, he doesn't know. She knows telling him would destroy him, especially considering the father is Johnny - Christian's best friend. But she also knows that she can't keep the secret forever.

The story unfolds, taking Meg quite literally around the world (from France to California), as she learns more about who she is, and what she wants. But this time, instead of recklessly following her heart as she did the first time around, she's thinking for two and following what she believes to be best for her son. While the book takes place not long after the previous book ended, there's a staunch change in Meg's demeanour. She's grown up, and while she still goes for what she wants, she's more logical, and more committed. While I loved the original Meg, I really appreciated this new one.

The characters from the first book are all back, including Johnny who learns of his son and reacts in a shocking manner. He's still up to his crazy ways, and his addictions and alterations continue to be believable. Smaller characters come back as well, letting the reader know what's become of them.

Toon's talent is still shining in Baby Be Mine. The book is fun, with realistic characters and engaging story lines. Johnny Be Good was my favorite book of Toon's, so I was thrilled to get to see where the characters went over time. I loved escaping into their world, and trying on their lives for a while.

Book-Themed Bridal Shower

2011-06-27T22:03:00.000-04:00

I typically keep my personal blog and book blog separate, but I thought I'd cross post this because it's book-themed. A few weekends ago, my wonderful friends and mother threw me a book-themed bridal shower. It was adorable and amazing, and I was completely in awe of everything and everyone. If interested, pictures are here.

Book trailer: Small Town Sinners

2011-06-27T21:54:00.000-04:00

Remember when HDS had the honor of revealing the cover of Small Town Sinners by the amazing Melissa Walker? Well, the book is finally coming out on July 19, and to celebrate, today HDS is hosting the book trailer. Enjoy!

Book Review: The Lover's Dictionary

2011-06-25T15:42:00.001-04:00

The Lover's Dictionary
By David Levithan
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date: January 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-0374193683
The book's Twitter site

I wanted to love The Lover’s Dictionary, I really did. Not just because I quite like the author, but because it’s a very neat – and different – idea. It sounded fascinating. But, to me, it also lacked, interestingly enough, heart.

The book tells the story of a relationship between You and the narrator (two characters, neither of which given genders – which I found to be very cool) through the alphabet. Each page starts with an alphabetical word, and then a small snippet – a glimpse really – into the relationship. It’s not chronological – indeed, it jumps around quite a bit – but by the end, you know a lot more about the couple, and the progress of (and problems within) their relationship.

What I liked most about the book is how revealing some of the passages are. They’re intimate glimpses at the relationship, and show everything from the excitement of the beginning kisses, to the hidden pains rarely discussed. There’s alcoholism and infidelity, but also cuddles and notes. I think intimate best describes the book. It almost feels like a diary at times. The writing, to Levithan’s credit, is really good.

That said, what makes a book about love good is that the central relationship is one a reader can route for – and I found that to be my main problem with the book. I didn’t like the couple. I liked the narrator – s/he seemed observant, kind, caring. The "You” character just seemed mean. (Of course, there is reason – bad family life and all – but still.) You never really get why they’re in love in the first place.

The book really reminded me of Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry That, too, provided an close, and almost private, look into a relationship through snippets and details (in that case, through items left behind once the relationship was over). Both books I found good in different ways, but far from great.

It's definitely a reflective novel, one that asks you to ruminate on the who, what, when, where, and - most importantly - whys of love. Levithan described The Lover's Dictionary as “a story about love, in all its messy complicated reality,” and I find that to be perfectly true. And while the book was beautifully written, I just didn’t care enough about the couple to fully love it.

Excerpt:

indelible, adj.

That first night, you took your finger and pointed to the top of my head, then traced a line between my eyes, down my nose, over my lips, down my neck, to the center of my chest. It was so surprising, I knew I would never mimic it. That one gesture would be yours forever.

Book Discussion: Jane Eyre

2011-06-16T17:36:00.001-04:00

Rather than reviewing Jane Eyre, I’m discussing it. I find that reviewing a book that was published more than 100 years ago is rather pointless – by now, if you haven’t heard of it, you probably wouldn’t be reading my blog. Just saying.

Yesterday I finished Jane Eyre for the first time. Crazy, right? It’s not that I never had the opportunity to read it before – I had, twice. The first time it was assigned to me for summer reading before my 11th grade year. I turned to cliffs notes instead. It wasn’t that I hated the book – I tried reading it, I did – but I couldn’t get into the language, and it was summer, so I didn’t really try. I had more important things to do, and more important things to read – in particular, the stack of plays I borrowed from the library in hopes of finding a monologue for a theatre competition the following year. The second time was in college during my Victorian Literature class. I turned to the Internet instead. Once again I tried – I vividly remember sitting on the windowsill in the Williams Building, learning about the red room. But once again, I had more important things to do, and more important things to read – like the newest Chuck Palahniuk that just came out. (I had misguided taste back then.)

So finally, with no one forcing me to read it, I picked up the same copy of Jane Eyre I had since high school. It was still marked in the two places I left off – not very far in at all. And you know what? I finally get it. I get why people love this book so much. I get why it’s a classic. I get why it’s reference to, or parodied in, so many other books. It really is good!

My first shock was the language. Yes, it is the proper old fashioned language, but it’s not hard to read or understand at all. It becomes natural, second nature, and I found myself starting to sound a bit more prim while in the presence of Jane and her friends (and foes). The language did not divert me from reading. And while it’s definitely a longer read, it is rather dense after all, not one that can be absorbed in just a day, I didn’t mind. I liked being submerged in Jane’s world, and often I hated coming up for air.

Jane is often thought to be one of the first feminist characters, and I can see why. She definitely has a mind of her own, and doesn’t bow down to others' wishes. She refuses two men! In that time, it was unheard of – especially by someone of her status (and looks, as we're constantly reminded). She wishes for more in her life. She doesn’t like to settle. I love it, I really do. And while I did find her stubborn at times (especially when talking with Rochester – who, let’s be honest, is one of the most tragically romantic characters of all times), I still routed for her. Because she was still discovering herself along the way. Do remember – she was only 18.

Back to Rochester – swoon.

I really liked the secondary characters as well. Helen Burns – oh how I was sad when she died. Mrs. Fairfax, that gossipy housekeeper and quasi-mother – I quite liked her. Little Adele, the ball of energy, and dear Ms. Temple who was Jane’s biggest guiding influence. And even the evil characters, Mrs. Rivers and Mr. Brocklehurst, how well characterized they were.

What surprised me most, though, was that it was often funny! Some lines sounded so contemporary, so tongue-in-cheek. And others, so strong and bold. Jane's reaction once St. John Rivers asks, yet again, why she refuses him: "Formerly...because you did not love me; I reply, because you almost hate me." How true! And Rochester's fake admiration over Blanche Ingram: "But my curiosity will be past its appetite; it craves food now." I'd love to say that one day. I wish I highlighted more lines along the way.

Here’s the thing, though. The book is marketed, often, as a great love story. And while it is, I find it more of a coming of age story. If it were a simple love story, it would have ended before she went to Moor House, before she met her cousins the Rivers. And while even I thought that part to be unsatisfactory because I wanted more Rochester, I get why that part is there. To remind us all that we live for so much more than settling.

I somewhat regret not reading it earlier, but I don’t know if I would have understood it so well back then. Fully appreciated the subtleties and nuances. Understood why she had to leave Rochester to realize how much she loved it. Noted why those earlier moments in her life, the cruel and harsh ones, only contributed to the person she became.

I enjoyed the book, I really did. It’s dark and hopeful, cruel and kind, a beautiful masterpiece. There’s a reason it’s withstood the test of time. And I’m so happy I read it. It makes me want to revisit – or, in some cases, meet for the first time – other classics. Take their hands and follow their stories. And learn about the other adventures I’m missing out on.

Book Review: Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have)

2011-06-14T18:01:00.000-04:00

Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)
By Sarah Mlynowski
HarperTeen
Publication date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 9780061701245

Alice has been left twice. First, after her parents got a divorce, her mother left for Paris. (Alice stayed behind, as she didn’t want to leave her father, friends, and boyfriend Noah). Then, halfway through her junior year, her father is offered a job in Cleveland. After much scheming (and a bit of lying), her father leaves…but Alice stays behind, living with her friend Vi. Her dad may think Vi’s mother will be watching over the girls, but little does he know that she’s off touring with the musical Mary Poppins. And so starts a wildly fun, and very crazy story of lying, living alone, surviving, and, ultimately, growing up.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s an easy, quick read, sure, but it’s also uproariously fun and, at times, even surprising. I love how real it felt. It reminded me very much of my college years (despite the fact the characters are in high school) – those restless years when anything was possible, and consequences felt so foreign. I had the older, more wild friend, much like Alice had Vi. And, much like my college years, the book shows the good and bad of being on your own – the highs (parties, no curfew), and the lows (no money, no guiding figure). And I liked that about the book – it showed both sides equally.

The story starts the morning after a huge party. April’s dad is surprising her with a visit. Looking around, she realizes that there are a few shirtless guys asleep on the couch, food everywhere, stained carpets, bottles of alcohol, and still no mother in sight. It’s a great beginning, as it throws readers right into the midst of the action. The rest of the book brings readers up to speed, culminating with that morning after moment. And along the way, the girls possibly buy a hot tub, harbor a fugitive, skip school…and more.

But not without repercussions. The topic of sex is often brought up in the book. April wants to have it with her boyfriend Noah, who she’s been with for two years. Before getting into it, though, Vi (as the older friend) gives her full details on how to be safe, and what consequences may arise from the act. I love how the book gives readers a bit of an education, without being preachy.

The characters, especially, are very well drawn, and engrossing. I loved the crazy Vi who refuses to settle down with a boyfriend, and Maureen, April’s other friend who really wants to go to Israel for the summer. (Did I mention the characters are Jewish? Finally!)

My only complaint would be that of the "bad guy," so to say. Of course, a character becomes the villain as a secret is revealed in the end. While I somewhat predicted the secret early on, I didn't like that it was true. I liked the character too much for him to be bad.

That said, I did enjoy the book, as well as the ending. It showed the importance of your two families: the one your born into, and the one you create on your own. April created a wild, but supportive, family for herself and I’m glad I had a chance to hang out with all of them for the time being.

Book Review: Nerd Do Well

2011-06-01T21:24:00.001-04:00

Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy’s Journey to Becoming a Big Kid

By Simon Pegg
Gotham Books
Publication date: June 9, 2011 (already out in U.K.)
ISBN: 978-1592406814

(Ed. note: Samir wrote this review in January, but we never posted it on HDS...I'm not quite sure why. Since the book is coming out in the U.S. next week, I thought it would be a good time to get it up. Enjoy!)

By Samir Mathur

I love Simon Pegg. Spaced is my favourite TV show of all time, and Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are two of my favourite films of all time. I even have Big Train on DVD. So Lauren ordered me his autobiography from Amazon UK for Christmas. It finally arrived on January 14th. Thanks, blizzards!

It wasn’t what I was expecting. He’s very deliberately written a book about his upbringing, his influences and sort-of how he got to where he is today. There’s not a lot of cool behind-the-scenes gossip from the sets of Spaced or Star Trek or whatever. It’s a bold choice, to eschew going into much detail about the works that made him famous, instead going for an origin story. I think it works quite well. Weird, though, to not feature one Nicholas J. Frost until page three-hundred-something.

Pegg punctuates the chapters with an imaginative story about a self-conscious millionaire playboy who has to save the world from possible explosives-oriented calamity, while sleeping with sexy ladies. His name is Pegg, and he has a robot sidekick named Canterbury. This whole section isn’t really necessary, but it lets Pegg’s imagination go off, and it certainly has its funny parts.

Not surprisingly, there are large - large - chapters of the book devoted to Star Wars and zombie films. Pegg does a good job of tying things together. He describes seeing Raiders of the Last Ark in cinemas as a ten year old, and then later remembers this event specifically when meeting Steven Spielberg. It becomes clear that he’s a guy who’s been very lucky: he’s met just about everyone he loved as a young’n. When he discusses his meeting with Carrie Fisher, both her reaction and his are priceless.

I really enjoyed the book. His writing is consistently humble but funny. Thank goodness there was no mention of Run Fatboy Run. He renames certain pivotal women from his life to keep them anonymous - so the character that inspired Sarah from Spaced is referred to throughout as ‘Eggy Helen,’ a much better name. I don’t know when Nerd Do Well is coming out here in the States (edit: June 9), but whenever it does, it’ll be well worth your time.

Book Reviews: If I Stay / Where She Went

2011-05-23T19:47:00.001-04:00

If I Stay / Where She Went
By Gayle Forman

It’s not often that I finish a book in one day. I like to savor books, give them time to breath. But sometimes it’s not possible. Sometimes I can’t pause the book and put it down, sometimes I just need to keep reading. That happened twice this past year, both times with books by Gayle Forman.

(If you haven’t read If I Stay, stop reading because I’ll be writing about the sequel. And the sequel gives away the first book’s major question. For some reason, I never wrote a review on If I Stay, so here’s my reaction.)

If I Stay
After suffering a catastrophic car accident, which leaves her family dead, 17-year-old Mia Hall is left in a coma. As friends and family gather in the hospital to mourn what happened, she experiences an out-of-body experience and witnesses everything happening. She comes to realize that she must decide what to do - let go and die with the rest of her family, or hold on and fight. I cried through probably 30% of this book, it was just that good. (Also, I read it on a plane, so you can only imagine how embarrassing that was). The book, told through Mia’s point of view as she witnesses everything, is raw, beautifully written, and emotionally poignant. Forman did an amazing job bringing the characters to life (and then, well, killing them). And I loved Adam, Mia’s boyfriend, and how he handled the situation (almost literally breaking into her hospital room to see her), and Mia's rock n' roll parents. Told both in present tense and past, as Mia reflects on her life pre-car accident in between chapters, it’s emotionally charged and leaves you wondering – what would you do? And I honestly didn’t know what Mia would do until the last page. I absolutely adored it.

With that, I was completely shocked that a sequel was in the works. I felt the book ended solidly, and a sequel would only give away Mia’s choice. Forman stated she, too, was surprised she was writing a sequel. But she felt she had to – the characters were still around, wanting to be heard. So, I had to read it.

Where She Went
Where She Went takes place three years later, and is told from Adam’s point of view. It’s revealed that after Mia decided to live, she went through rehabilitation and then promptly moved to New York City to attend Juilliard. In the process, she leaves Adam. Now, a major rock star with a very famous girlfriend, Adam is living the life, yet is still hurt from the break up three years ago. He’s suffered a major downward spiral, and still has questions, but knows they cannot be answered. Then, when in New York for a day, he happens upon Mia’s performance at Carnegie Hall. So he goes inside. And thus starts a night that re-awakens what was lost, and brings them so far from where they started.

The second book definitely added to the story, finalizing it in a way, and I’m so glad Forman wrote it. It once again showcases her brilliant talents, bringing these characters, this night, to life. Once again, the book was amazing. I didn’t cry as much, but there were definitely tears. Tears as I learned how much Adam and Mia hurt, and how they had so far to go. Once again told in both present and past tense, chapters in-between the main plot explain what happened in the three years missing. The back story gives so much meaning to where Adam has come in his life, how hard it is for me to get by day to day.

New York City was the perfect setting for their reunion. Gritty and dark, like their past, it offered momentary lapses of bright lights and hope. Just what they needed. And the ending was absolutely perfect, if not better. And once again, music plays a huge role in the book, bringing them together and helping them take the next step.

When I finished Where She Went yesterday, I had to remind myself that I was in my bedroom, and not roaming the streets of New York, or not in the audience of a Shooting Stars gig in London. The characters aren’t real, and neither is their story – but for one day, a few hours, I felt part of everything. Completely engrossed in their night, I felt like part of them, and even as I read the last word and knew it was over, I didn’t want to let go.

The two books are sad, yes, but they’re also full of hope and wonder and love and joy and music. Pick them up. Have a box of tissues ready. And let Mia and Adam into your life. You’ll be happy you did.

Excerpt of If I Stay
Excerpt of Where She Went

Book Review: Eleven

2011-05-22T11:47:00.002-04:00

UK book cover

Eleven
By Mark Watson
Simon & Schuster / Scribner

Samir and I both read Eleven this past December. It's been out in the UK for a while (now in paperback!), and was just released here in the US last week. Here are our respective thoughts:

Book blurb:
"This is the story of radio DJ Xavier Ireland, who by night offers words of wisdom to sleepless Londoners and by day keeps himself to himself. That is, until a one-of-a-kind encounter forces him to confront his own biggest regret. Meanwhile, a single moment sparks a chain of events that will affect eleven lives across the city, with unstoppable consequences...Eleven is a tale of love, loss, Scrabble and six degrees of separation, asking whether the choices we don't make affect us just as powerfully as those we do."

Samir:
Watson is a British stand-up, TV personality and Bristol City supporter. Once, I was watching Have I Got News For You with my parents, and he was on it, and my mum said “Hey, he looks like you and is funny like you.” He also wears sweaters and glasses, so I took that as a compliment. His novel is about a group of people who don’t know each other, but become connected as a result of each other’s actions. What a horrible description I just gave it. It’s a great novel – not “brilliantly hilarious and hilariously brilliant” as Stephen Fry’s blurb suggests – but well-observed, occasionally poignant, and very fun.

U.S. cover

Lauren:
I love the idea that people are unknowingly connected, for good and for bad. Eleven shows just how crazy that idea can be. A young boy gets beat up on the schoolyard and goes home bloody and unhappy. His mother, a food critic, then gives a poor review to a new restaurant, as she's upset about what happened. The chef then takes out his frustration from the bad review on his employee, and thus the chain starts. Thrown in the middle is Xavier, who originally witnesses the boy's attack, yet does nothing. After an unforgettable mishap in his past, that's slowly revealed, he doesn't get close to people anymore. That is, unless he doesn't know them. Every night, he tries to help people on his talk show, as a way to become a new person. The chapters flip flop, from the chain of events to Xavier's life, and all come together in a very satisfying ending. I genuinely really enjoyed the book. Differently from so many others, it was incredibly grabbing and left me cheering on Xavier as he tries to turn his life around.

Book Review: Enclave

2011-05-22T11:03:00.000-04:00

Enclave
By Ann Aguirre
Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: April 12, 2011
ISBN: 9780312650087

The dystopian genre is huge right now. So huge that it’s getting hard for books to stand apart from the others. No matter what, there will be comparisons. While Enclave seemed to have slipped between the cracks, coming out with no huge fanfare, it definitely sets itself apart as a dystopian series to be reckoned with.

It’s a post-apocalyptic world, and in Enclave, life is tough. No one really lives past 25, so it’s not until you turn 15 that you’re given a name and purpose. On Deuce’s naming day, she becomes a huntress, something she’s dreamed about becoming. Along with the other hunters, she’s in charge of protecting the enclave (an area below the ground, hidden within the New York City subway system). They seek out meat for everyone to eat, and defeat hideous beings called Freaks, who are part human, part mutant. While hunting, she’s paired up with Fade, a boy not originally from there, who lived Topside (above ground) earlier in life. But when Deuce and Fade realize the Freaks are getting smarter, the elders within the enclave don’t believe them. So Deuce and Fade are banished and forced to live life in the much more frightening aboveground world.

I admit it – the plot sounds laughable – especially the names – but I will fully say…the book is good. Really good. It’s an addictive fast-paced read that feels like a movie playing. Ann Aguirre does an amazing job creating this post-apocalyptic world, one destroyed due to a disease. Down below, the subway tunnels are murky, dark, and you can almost feel the dirt under the fingernails. Aboveground, it’s frightening, with destroyed buildings and only a few provisions left. It’s a fight for your life kind of book, and the characters have strength.

The characters are fierce, and there’s so much bloodshed and dead bodies that I started to lose count. Deuce will be compared to Katniss, of The Hunger Games, due to her vigor and strength. Fade, more of a Gale. Their flirtation is very innocent, much like Twilight, when the barest touch feels like an R rated scene. (The characters aren’t allowed to touch in the tunnels, so they ultimately have to learn about intimacy.) And of course, there’s a love triangle presented.

What I liked most was that it felt real and scary. The book is told through Deuce’s eyes, and, thankfully, there’s much more action than internal monologue. She’s interesting, definitely, but the action keeps moving; there’s never a slow moment.

At first I found the ending fine, but not too conclusive. Then I learned that Enclave is just the first book in the Razorlight trilogy. And while some series I can take or leave, I’m excited to see what happens next. By the end of the book, I found myself entranced by Deuce and Fade and their friends, cheering them on and feeling each stab, each flicker of hope with them. The world created is hypnotic, and the characters believable. It’s definitely a series I’m excited to continue as it grows.

Watch a (rather silly) book trailer here
Read the first two chapters and see character sketches here

Book Review: Girl on the Run

2011-05-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

Girl on the Run
By Jane Costello
Simon & Schuster UK
Publication date: April 14, 2011
ISBN: 978-1847396266

I read Jane Costello's previous book, My Single Friend, last summer so it only feels right reading her newest book, Girl on the Run, this summer. I knew instantly what to expect, of course, but that didn’t bother me.

Abby is a hardworking single woman. The owner of a small start-up graphic design firm, she’s just barely balancing her personal and professional lives. But when her best friend Jess convinces her to join a running league, she never would expect to fall for the head runner, Oliver (aka "Doctor Dishy"), or bump into the one guy she never wanted to bump into again, Tom. On top of that, as her business starts doing quite well, her employee Heidi has a terrible secret she’s about to reveal.

What I like about Costello is that she doesn’t waste time. From the beginning, when Abby hits a motorcycle, through the end, every page counts. Every debate, every though, every random interaction. It’s all good fun, leading to a pleasing conclusion. It's over-the-top fun, and always exciting. The characters are very well-drawn, especially Abby's co-workers who I liked best.

Girl on the Run is a book that’s equal parts predictable and fun. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and finished it a handful of days. It’s easy, and you know precisely which guy our hero will end up with in the end. (And she is a hero, Abby - a girl who won't quit, and that's proven in the end). And because of that, there’s no stress when reading. Even when things are looking down – even when things aren’t going quite right, you just know it’ll all be okay in the end. Because it always is in books like these. And, sometimes, we need predictable, we need light. We need to know the girl will end up with the guy at the end, and everyone will be happy. Because life isn’t always like that – so why can’t fiction?

Book Review: Maine

2011-05-21T18:05:00.001-04:00

Maine
By J. Courtney Sullivan
Knopf
Publication date: June 14, 2011
ISBN: 978-0307595126

As mentioned previously, I loved J. Courtney Sullivan’s first novel, Commencement, so I was extremely excited to read her follow-up. Thankfully, I was not disappointed at all.

Much like Commencement, Maine is the story of four women, with chapters flip-flopping back and forth between them. But rather than friends, these women are related, and each harboring their own secret. The story is set as summer starts, and the four women converge upon the family summer house in Maine, one won by a lucky game of poker right after World War II. Generations have descended upon it, however this may be the last one.

Alice, the great-grandmother, still pines for the sister she lost 60 years ago in an accident. With her loving husband gone, she’s decided to give the house away to her church once the summer was over. With very little maternal instincts, she believes the church has been there for her the most. Kathleen is her eldest daughter, the black sheep of the family who is strikingly like Alice. She’s set her life to be different than her mother’s, and has literally moved across the country to get away from the family and the pain she went through growing up. Maggie is Kathleen’s daughter, a writer in New York who recently discovered she’s pregnant. Now alone, she doesn’t know what to do, but knows she wants to keep the child and at the same time, learn more about the family it’s being born into. Ann-Marie is Alice’s daughter-in-law, married to Alice’s son Patrick. Ann-Marie is perfect, with a perfect house, perfect children, and perfect way with people. Yet, things aren’t as wonderful as they seem, so she takes out her domestic frustration by building doll houses, creating more perfect worlds.

Once again, the story starts in the present, and offers detailed glimpses to the past, showcasing what brought the women to this point in their lives, and what history lies within the house. Ultimately a story about the family binds that keep us together – whether we like it or not – it’s also about survival, relationships, and moving on, whether scary or painful.

Sullivan did a wonderful job bringing each woman to life, giving each enough heart to make them real. Despite how much you hate Alice at times, you love her because you understand. And that was tremendous, because the characters, at times, could have easily been horrid, but because of Sullivan’s details and love for each one, they shone in their own ways. Their actions were almost understood. They felt like my own family at times. The descriptions were marvelous, and made me want to visit Maine, and see the same sea they looked out upon. I even found myself mentally planning a vacation there.

But what made the book fantastic were the little details. How the house was won. Kathleen’s business. The dedication in Maggie’s book. Ann-Marie’s dollhouse’s curtains. Alice overhearing phone conversations as a child. These little elements added so much - a depth, another layer of understanding each character.

Ultimately, it was an honest book. Brutal at times, but always hypnotic and addictive. It never once lost its mission and purpose, and I’m so glad I read it. It’s a book I’ll remember, and think about when I’m at the beach, almost wondering if the characters will join me on my blanket. I’ll definitely continue following Sullivan’s career; she’s got an immense talent, and I’m excited to see where she goes next.

Preview the first chapter here.

Book Review: Commencement

2011-05-14T10:21:00.001-04:00

Commencement
By J. Courtney Sullivan
Random House
Publication Date: June 16, 2009
ISBN: 9780307454966

After years of hearing positive reviews, I finally picked up Commencement, and am extremely happy I did. J. Courtney Sullivan tells the story of four vastly different girls who meet during their freshmen year of college, and continue their unexpected friendship through their 20s. When they first arrive at Smith College (an all-women’s school), Cecilia has chosen boys and booze over her devout Catholic background; Bree, a true Southern Belle, is pining for the fiancé she left behind in Savannah, Georgia; Sally is still reeling over the abrupt death of her mother; and April is a hardcore liberal fighting for women’s rights, one who makes feminists look weak. The heart of the story lies in the fact that this generation of women finally can be whatever they want - they have so many options and opportunities...and yet, they still don't know what to do. It's both scary and exciting.

The book starts as Sally is about the get married, and the four meet up to attend the wedding. Sullivan does a fantastic job of easily telling both the past and present at the same time. That is, as Cecelia is boarding the bus to Massachusetts for the ceremony, readers learn both what she is presently doing, as well as how the girls originally met and her role in their friendship. The book takes on alternating chapters, showing each girl’s side of the story. Never is the flashing past and present narrative confusing, and never is one girl more important than the others, as they each have an important part of the story, and just like puzzle pieces, their friendship isn’t complete without the other.

The book is marketed as a fantastic “beach read,” but I highly disagree. I believe beach reads to be easy books with simple premises and predictable plots. Commencement is nothing like that. It’s a delightful book, yes, but it’s deep and passionate, inspiring and inspired. It’s far more than an on-the-surface book. It tackles many themes aside from growing up: feminism plays a large role, concentrating on women’s roles in society, especially those coming from an all women’s college; there’s a rape scene that explores the many emotions a woman goes through; life and death are explored, and so are marriage and relationships – what makes each work. What I liked most about the book is that Sullivan never shied away from writing something that may be seen as controversial. A character gets pregnant and doesn’t instantly feel like a mother; a character gives up her dream for a man while another character gives up her family for her life's choices; and one character poses as a prostitute to get into the inner workings of street walking.

The book did sway a bit in an unforeseen direction towards the end of the second half, when it explored April's career fighting for feminism. And while some reviews found it preachy and unwarranted, I actually quite enjoyed the sudden change of pace for the book. While the first half of the book focused on what brought the girls together, the second describes what keeps them together, why they need each other, and what pushes them to achieve more. And honestly, I loved the characters. Each one felt like a friend by the end.

Honestly, I loved the book and can’t wait for Sullivan’s follow-up novel, Maine. For those who’ve been to college and know what it’s like to meet those people who keep you from falling that first scary year, this is an essential book to read. It’s shocking, inspiring, and addictive. Beautifully written and a true page-turner, I can’t wait to pass it on to a friend.

Book Review: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

2011-05-04T17:11:00.000-04:00

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
By Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Alfred A. Knoph
ISBN: 978-0375846144

I've read a lot of young adult novels. While I may not be 16 anymore, I don’t find it hard to relate to the characters' problems, or understand their choices. I never feel out of place reading the books, instead I’m taken back to my days as a confused, idealistic, complicated teen.

Yet, while reading Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, I couldn’t help but feel…old.

Nick encounters the love-of-his-life ex at a club where his band is playing. Instead of running away, he asks a flannel wearing stranger, Norah, to be his five minute girlfriend. From there, the two engage in a crazy night full of stripping nuns, dead cars, ex-girlfriends/boyfriends, Ukrainian food, a lot of music and the magic only New York City can bring.

It’s one of those books that makes you think “I want this night to happen to me.”

David Levithan and Rachel Cohn alternate chapters, with Levithan writing Nick’s side of the story, and Cohn writing Norah’s. It’s a unique way to tell a story, as the reader gets the full picture, and not just the one side. It shows each character’s growth and transformation even better. That said, the writing was superb.

I liked the overall feel of the book – the idea that one night can change everything. Overall, it’s a well done book, one that makes the reader feel as if they were there, under the stars and in the seedy clubs with the characters. The descriptions were fantastic, and the little details were even better. Why was Nick in a queer-core band? I don’t know, but it fit. Why does he drive a Yugo? Who knows, but those small details create the characters, and add so much depth to a story. That’s what I liked most about the book.

But what I disliked about the book most was, honestly, Norah. Cohn's writing was great, but I really didn’t like the character. She was annoying, confusing, and self-righteous. I couldn’t see why Nick even stayed with her half the time. He seemed sweet, understanding, and funny – she seemed fowl. I just couldn’t get behind her, or understand her attraction. Then again – I know girls like her, so I guess it’s realistic.

And here’s where I felt old – the references. The characters talked about music and namedropped artists so much, I couldn’t keep up. Some real, some fake, some I had to Google to understand. It warped me right back to high school, making me feel like I wasn’t cool enough to hang out with them. (And, honestly, with their snappy Dawson’s Creek-like-only- much-dirtier conversations, I knew I could never keep up.)

I have to admit, I saw the movie before reading the book. Much like the book, the movie made me feel out of touch and old. The two are quite different in plot. Similar in themes, but the overall night goes differently in each, and I can see why they changed it for the movie. In the book a lot happens, sure, but it’s mostly internally. The majority of the book covers both characters thinking, fretting, denying, understanding, maturing – all unseen actions. It’s a lot of internal monologues and, honestly, I wanted more action at times. BUT – I can understand why it’s mostly inside. It brings the change around more authentically. And I’m sure, were I 16, I’d understand the feelings a bit more. Which, again, made me feel old.

So, okay. The book was good and bad. I know I would have loved it in high school. I can see high school students loving it. I can see it being their bible they carry around and pass on to one another with deadpanned eyes, whispering “you must read this.” There’s definitely magic in it, and some pretty great moments - and even morals. But I feel like it's a book that won't mean much to those who pick it up for the first time later on in life. I missed out-and I’m kind of sad I did.

Book Review: Prom and Prejudice

2011-05-04T16:52:00.000-04:00

Prom and Prejudice
By Elizabeth Eulberg
Point
Publication date: January 1, 2011
ISBN: 9780545240772

Remaking classics has become quite popular. Whether just borrowing the theme (Prada and Prejudice) or adding zombies (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), the classics are getting a revamping, and I’m not sure it’s always a good thing. Prom and Prejudice is a modern day retelling of Jane Austin’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth Eulberg picked up the notorious characters and plucked them down in a 21st century private school. Rather than fretting over who they will or will not marry, the girls are concerned about prom dates.

The story is the same – Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bennet is a poor girl in a rich society. Different from her classmates, who constantly torture her for being a “scholarship student” at a private high school where everyone’s daddies earn six digit salaries, she’s taken to only speaking with her roommate (not sister) Jane and other scholarship student Charlotte. When Jane falls for the handsome Charles Bingley, Lizzie endures his friend, William Darcy, who seemingly also despises scholarship students. And so their not-so-much courting starts.

I found it funny that Eulberg didn’t change the characters names, or even the main plot. Because of that, it was easy to predict the story from the start. Mr. William Collins is, in this book, Colin who ends up with Charlotte. Bingley’s sister Caroline continuously gets in the way. Lydia is a bit boy-crazy and, what’s that, of course she goes for George Wickham, who’s a bit scummy. There was no surprise because of this – no drama. I could easily call the ending right after I realized Eulberg left nothing to the imagination. Even the dialogue seemed inspired by the pages of Austin’s work. Not quite as poetic, but I hardly expect a male high school student to say "she says nothing both the nicest things."

Eulberg had an interesting job, then, turning the story into something relatable to today’s youth. She did well describing the private school mentality (very similar to that of Gossip Girl). She definitely modernized it, adding fancy cars and summer retreats; Vera Wang and iPods. The story itself was, admittedly, cute and I read it all within a day. A very quick, easy to digest, simple read with lovely writing.

However – the characters all felt very…flat. Caricatures of the originals. Lizzie was always mean to Darcy, yet he stayed around. Why? Because he did in the original of course. Lizzie was outright mean at times, assuming and self-righteous. It worked in Austin’s book, but not as much here. Yes, in this book she was tortured so it was easy for her not to trust someone. But when that someone comes by just to see you every single day, you start acting nice, right? Not her. The characters just felt forced at times – as if they knew where they needed to go, and didn’t really care about the journey.

I can see this book being used as an introduction to Austin’s novel. As a way to, hopefully, get young girls excited about reading classic. A way to bring those themes to their level. And I hope it works – I hope it inspires them to move on to the original and see the real Elizabeth Bennet, the real Mr. Darcy because they’re so much more interesting, and so much better characterized than these.

So I somewhat enjoyed the book– it was a cute read that left me a bit in love with Darcy (of course), but when compared to the classic, which it sets itself up to be, it’s just a simple retelling lacking the original magic.

Book Review: The White Devil

2011-04-27T17:48:00.001-04:00

The White Devil
By Justin Evans
Harper
Publication Date: May 10, 2011
ISBN: 978-0061728273

Review by Samir Mathur

Though I wouldn’t usually read a book like The White Devil – it’s described on the back as a gothic horror novel; not my thing at all – I had some time before Bossypants would be ready for me at the library. And the setting of the novel, London’s prestigious Harrow School, got me interested, as I too attended a fancy, all-boy’s high school in greater London. So I was onboard.

Some of Evans’ early attention-to-detail was very impressive and accurate. He really nailed the atmosphere at boy’s schools, where fitting in is everything, the strong rule, and being gay is the biggest sin imaginable. The story is mostly focused on Andrew, an American teenager who arrives with a suitcase and nothing else. There are hints that he is escaping from some bad stuff at home, and this is slowly revealed over the first half of the book. It’s nice to have him as a surrogate for the reader, trying to make sense of a confusing culture with its own language and customs. Very early on, Andrew witnesses a murder that he can’t quite explain, and it freaks him out. Could it be the ghost who supposedly lives in the building? Is Andrew going nuts?

Though the book introduces many characters, it only really fleshes out Andrew and a couple of others. There’s Fawkes, the former poetry wunderkind who’s now a senior master at Harrow and is also a drunk mess. And there’s Persephone, the only girl at the school, who immediately shows interest in Andrew. Is it actually attraction, or is it because he looks like Lord Byron? And is it going to complicate things that her dad is the Head of the school? And wait, what was that about a ghost? Evans really creates a great, claustrophobic world around the historic school buildings. It’s always dark, cold, windy, and the locations are always imposing and made of stone. Why are there no ghost stories set on a sunny day at the beach?

Sorry for all the rhetorical questions, but I guess they’re appropriate since this is a mystery novel. It’s interesting to see how all the pieces connect, but for me the resolution was pretty underwhelming and I was only lukewarm overall about the book. This is a very stylized genre of work, and it’s just not a genre that I know much about or particularly enjoy. I know it’s a cop out to say this in a review, but if you like ghost stories mixed with murder mysteries, then you’ll probably love The White Devil, but it just didn’t do much for me.

Ed. note: I just learned that Christian Coulson, the actor who played Tom Riddle in the Harry Potter movies, is doing the audiobook for The White Devil. So that's pretty awesome.

Book Review: Delirium

2011-04-21T21:13:00.001-04:00

Delirium
By Lauren Oliver
Harper Teen
Publication date: February 1, 2011
ISBN:978-0061726828

It’s hard for me to like a utopian/dystopian novel as much as I like The Giver. After reading it in 5th grade, the book grew with me, became part of me, haunted me. It’s unfortunate, then, that I read it so early in my life, especially considering the recent influx of dystopian novels. To me, nothing will compare to it, or live up to it in my mind. That said, I still enjoy the genre (see: The Hunger Games) and am curious to see how it grows.

Which brings me to Delirium, by Lauren Oliver. After reading Before I Fall last year (one of my top five books of 2010), I vowed to read everything by Oliver. Her writing is beautiful, addictive, and full talent not often found. So, I reached out to Delirium with high hopes, yet also a bit of trepidation.

Lena is 17 years old and a few months away from having the procedure that removes love from a person’s brain. It was decided years prior to the book’s start that love is what drives people to madness, and the removal of it creates a happier, safer world. Thus, when a person turns 18, they go under the knife, and are then assigned the rest of their life. In this safe world, people are told which college they go to (if they make it to one), who they’ll marry, and what their eventual career will be. Everything is pre-selected, everything is safe.

But when Lena meets Alex, a young man who has beliefs she’s never thought of before, she starts to think beyond the boundaries and sees a whole new world. As if living under a microscope on a fake movie set her whole life, she opens her eyes to a different world, and the possibilities that lie beyond her community’s safe boundaries, and into The Wilds, where those who don’t wish to conform live. With Alex and her best friend Hana by her side, Lena must decide what she wants – not what she’s told to want.

While the theme of a perfect controlled future has been done – most recently in Matched by Ally Condie - the premise is different. (It’s unfortunate that the two books came out so close to one another, because I feel as if Matched got the attention Delirium more-so deserved. Matched seemed forced, Delirium felt real.)

The world created reminded me of The Truman Show. Fake to the point of perfection. Glowing sunrises, sparkling waters. All perfect – and all convincing enough to stay for. Same with the procedure to remove deliria. For a second – a split second – I thought of my past boyfriends and thought, “yeah, it wouldn’t be too bad.” That’s how convincing Oliver is. Each chapter starts with a quote from a fake textbook that convincingly states why love is bad. Yet – is all love bad? When you look at it – no. After the procedure, the residents walk around like zombies almost – living, but not loving. No friends; it becomes a chore to visit family (as shown when Rachel, Lena’s sister, comes to her graduation.)

What I wasn’t prepared for was the amount of violence – which is incredibly necessary to the plot. It shows that not all things done for good are helpful – or even kind. Moments were utterly painful, especially when Lena sees what happens to people in The Crypts (the city’s version of jail).

But what’s most convincing about the story is the character development – and, honestly, the characters themselves. Lena is perfectly drawn – an in-between girl. Not quite pretty, but not quite ugly. Having lost her mother years before, she always lived by the book. I loved her confusion and intrigue, distance yet caring side. Complex, definitely, she was a fantastic main character who always had reasons behind her decisions. Hana is gorgeous with blond hair and long legs. She is the one that wishes for more, and seeks out advantages. And then there’s Alex, who’s undeniably gorgeous with hair the color of autumn and an addictive personality. He cares for Lena, which shocks her because in a world without love, care is hard to come by.

The book has a fluid pace, and gorgeous descriptions. While I wished for quicker dialogue at some points (I would skim to find when Alex would respond, as it sometimes took three paragraphs or so), the pauses, and descriptions poured into them, added to the scenes.

I think what was most shocking about the book was how much I found myself caring for the characters. Much like Before I Fall, the characters, specifically Lena, slowly matured throughout the book, creating completely different personas in the end. It was never forced, and the moments of realization were beautiful.

And then there’s the end, which I won’t get into, but I will say it left me crying. Crying! It’s a powerful ending, definitely, one I’ll vividly remember, full of bravery and hope. I suppose we’ll see what happens next.

(That said, in a refreshing twist, there was no love triangle! Finally!)

Delirium is far different from Before I Fall, but it has the same amount of heart. Heartbreaking and exciting, violent and sweet, it’s an interesting and unique look at a genre that’s been done. And I’m excited (and nervous) to see what happens next in the series.

The sequels Pandemonium and Requiem come out in February 2012 and February 2013 respectively

Read the first chapter here.

Book Review: RSVP

2011-03-10T17:23:00.000-05:00

RSVP
By Helen Warner
Simon and Schuster UK
Publication date: March 17, 2011 (in UK)
ISBN: 9780857201218

To celebrate my non-eventful spring break from graduate school (I still had to work; apparently my job didn’t get the memo), I decided to read something light, fluffy, and fun. It was as if the Gods from S&S UK knew, because a week prior I received RSVP by Helen Warner in the mail. A light, fluffy, fun wedding book? Perfect.

The book is told in four overlapping perspectives, all revolving around the upcoming nuptials of Rachel and Toby. Anna is Toby’s college sweetheart; they were destined to be together, but one fateful night, everything went awry. Ten years later, she receives the wedding invite in the mail, and doesn’t know what to do. Clare is Anna’s best friend and roommate, who witnessed the Toby ordeal, as well as her follow up relationships that never panned out. She’s always there, a dedicated friend, and is completely unaware that the upcoming wedding will effect her life as well. Ella is the self proclaimed femme fatale who was the reason behind the infamous breakup. Ten years later, married to a much older man, she also receives the wedding invite and wonders if she can get Toby, the one guy who never accepted her advances. And Rachel is the bride-to-be, who, in her gut, knows that something is about to go utterly wrong. And it does, of course, because where would a story be without a bit of drama?

Upon picking up the book, which has a beautiful cover, I guessed the book’s entire plot and waited for my predictions to come true. To my surprise – and delight – they didn’t. The book is far from standard chick-lit, which is evident from the start. Told both in current and past times, the voice is strong and the plot addictive. There are twists and turns as the pages unfold, and they keep the reader guessing. I loved that about the book. It never lost my attention. The ending especially was fast-paced and fantastic.

In the similar nature of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, not one character is more important than the other, and the separate plots are stopped just when they get terribly addictive, leaving the reader anxiously anticipating the next section. I enjoyed how, while Anna was set up to be the sorrowful lover, her plot, while important, did not overshadow the others.

The characters are illustrated really well, most notably, Ella. While she’s a terrible person, her progress throughout the book was not only convincing, but extremely well-written. Her back story was just as fascinating, and truly contributed to who she became. Next, Clare, who is the most loyal person I’ve ever read. Her story does not go as predicted at all, and I found her to be my favorite of the bunch. Anna is sweet, the girl everyone knows, who’s overly dramatic at times, and constantly talks about love. Annoying, sure, but realistic. And Rachel, who I didn’t find interesting at first, grew on me as someone you just wanted to sit down with over tea.

While I did quite enjoy the book, I did roll my eyes at the overwhelming amount of times it mentioned The One and Only, or The One, referring to a person’s true love. The first time, okay, but after that, it just felt a bit cheesy. It’s something a teenager holds on to, not someone in their 30s. (Or maybe I’m just jaded). Also, which I suppose could be a compliment to the author, I wanted more. Since the book does cover a large period of time and four character’s lives, many plot points were breezed over, written quickly and simply noted. I wanted more. I wanted less tell and more show. For instance, while we do learn that Toby and Anna were together in college, we never saw their first date, their first kiss. They were just together – always together – and then apart.

Overall, it was a very fun read that left me wanting more (in a good way). The characters are at a great point, and I would love to know what happens next in their lives. And while it did get me a bit worried about my own wedding, it also reminded me that when you know you’re in love, it’s right. And that's pretty great.

Book Bloggers Gone Bad

2011-02-10T20:38:00.000-05:00

You may have seen this already, but an author wrote a very...mean spirited article about how many book bloggers are unprofessional and way too subjective in their reviews.

You can read the article here. (It's the cashed version because she deleted the comments).

The comments mostly say what I was thinking: she's being quite unprofessional, bad reviews are going to happen, you don't need to be a professional writer to be a book bloggers, don't diss the people who read your books. I will fully admit I'm not the best reviewer in the world, but I wouldn't call myself unprofessional.

The one thing I want to add, however, is this: Of COURSE book reviews are subjective! If a review was objective, it would just be the back cover synopsis.

Sheesh!

Long live the book blogger!

The Unfinished Book

2011-02-10T18:01:00.000-05:00

I'm certain everyone has done it at least once: started a book and put it down before the endt. I hate doing it - to me it's comparable to abandoning a baby. (Ok, maybe not THAT comparable, but you get the idea.)

Admittedly, I've put down quite a few books and have both accepted and regretted the failure to finish (depending on the novel). Here are two examples:

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
I heard great things about the book and was really intrigued when I learned Johnny Depp was interested in making it into a film. Despite its whopping 944 pages, I decided to give it a go. The result? Halfway through I gave up and to this day...I honestly don't care about knowing the ending. It's not that the book wasn't written well - it was - I just didn't like it. The story got boring, and I really disliked the main character. You can't feel compassion for a character when you hate him. So, I gave up and never looked back.

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
I started reading this massively confusing book while teaching, and I'm pretty sure that was why I didn't finish it. I was down on my profession, so I felt down on every book I read. That said, this book was quite confusing, with multiple stories within stories, footnotes, and erratic pages. It was easy to get lost. I had to translate passages. I felt a mess. But to this day, I'm still sad I didn't make it to the end. I hear the end isn't massively rewarding, but it's an ending at least. I want to know what happens. I'm curious to break through the wall of confusion.

So what about you? What books have you put down? And which have you regretted abandoning?

Book Review: The Book of Tomorrow

2011-01-30T22:28:00.000-05:00

The Book of Tomorrow: A Novel
By Cecelia Ahern
Harper
Publication date: January 25, 2011
ISBN: 9780061706301

Sixteen-year-old Tamara Goodwin is not a nice girl. Living in the lap of luxury, she’s used to getting everything she wants. That is, until her dad commits suicide, leaving the bank to foreclose on her and her mom’s life. With nowhere else to go, they move in with her mom’s brother and wife in a small town where their closest neighbors are a group of nuns, a small bungalo, and a burned down castle. When Tamara meets Marcus, a bookmobile driver, she discovers a diary that starts predicting her future. But Tamara learns that sometimes it’s smart to be left in the dark, as secrets are revealed, family histories are unearthed and Tamara’s life is completely altered.

My first reaction after finishing The Book of Tomorrow was “wow.” Dark, suspenseful, thrilling, it’s far different from anything else Cecelia Ahern has even written. Where most of her books are love stories (in one way or another) with magical twists, this one is more of a young adult novel that’s utterly shocking. It’s a huge departure for Ahern, and I can’t say it’s a bad one. Her writing, while at one time fantastic, was leaving much to be desired for me…and this was a surprising, yet welcomed, way to go.

The book is narrated by Tamara, in a very fresh, realistic, and sometimes cruel 16-year-olds voice. It’s honest, and doesn’t hold back, and for a story like this, the first-person point-of-view is highly necessary, as we learn as Tamara learns. We see what she sees. We’re as lost as she is. And her transformation throughout the book is fantastic - subtle, yet extreme from beginning to end.

Ahern did a tremendous job bringing Tamara to life, as well as this new town she’s living in. The Dublin suburb is beautiful, with gardens, acres of grassy knolls and the old castle which was burned down long ago. The tattered appearance of the castle is similar to Tamara’s tattered lifestyle.

The characterizations were great from mysterious Rosaleen (the aunt) to silent Arthur (uncle). The story revolves around not knowing what makes her mysterious, and what makes him silent. That is to say, there’s plenty to figure out as the pages are turned.

For her first time writing such a suspenseful story, Ahern does a great job of slowly offering clues as the book goes on, but leaving the big reveal to the very end. There are fires, fights, and lies and everything comes together in the end.

And, of course, there’s a bit of magic found in Tamara’s book that somehow tells what will happen the day after. Admittedly, while the plotline was interesting, in the end I could have liked the book without that devise. I found it unnecessary. While it did help Tamara find herself, I think the story would have been powerful if she came to the conclusion without the help of magic.

It’s hard to review this book in comparison to Ahern’s other books. While I will say it was very good, it was so different from anything else. As a stand alone book, it was fantastic – addictive, interesting, dark. It kept me eagerly engaged, aching to finish one more chapter. Truly, I really liked it and am glad since Ahern’s last few books didn’t live up to what I knew she was capable of. That said, it’s so different from her other books that I can’t help thinking it was a different author. Far gone are the days of P.S. I Love You. But I suppose that’s great for an author – to be able to transform your writing as such.

I’m curious which direction she goes next. Her last book was a bit dark, too, and this one definitely was. I suppose we’ll just have to find out.

But for now, I’ll say check The Book of Tomorrow out. You won’t be sorry.

Free E-book: Sukkwan Island

2011-01-12T19:08:00.001-05:00

David Vann has his novella, Sukkwan Island, available for download for FREE! The book was originally published as part of a collection entitled Legend of a Suicide. It's won France's Prix Medicis award for best foreign novel. The free download comes with an excerpt from Vann's newest book, Caribou Island, which is coming out January 18. Vann's new book is featured on Book Beast's list of most anticipated books of 2011 (which also features Vowell, and we all know how I feel about her), so I'm sure it'll be great.

Anyway, it's free, so check it out!

Amazon
Reader Store
Kobo

Book Review: My Dead Dad Was in ZZ Top

2011-01-12T18:46:00.001-05:00

My Dead Dad Was in ZZ Top: 100% Real,* Never Before Seen Documents from the World of Rock and Roll
By Jon Glaser
Harper Perennial
Publication date: February 8, 2011
ISBN: 9780061749629

Review by Samir Mathur

Did you know that Led Zeppelin almost named the band Cottonball Goldenstein’s Good Time Sunshine Lollipop Smiley Face (fart noise)? Or that Prince once played a set at Steven Spielberg’s daughter’s bat mitzvah, with songs like “When Doves Kvetch”? Or that the bands Flock of Seagulls and System of a Down were both heavily influenced by their landlord Greg?

No. Of course you didn’t. That’s why you need to pick up Jon Glaser’s new book, which offers these and many other staggering revelations about some of the biggest recording artists of all time. (And I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness). When his father passed away, Glaser found a box of letters in the attic, and learned that his old man had been an early member of ZZ Top, who left to start his own soul-fusion band. What a scoop! After stumbling across this bombshell, Glaser set out to find more secret histories, and through memos, deposition transcripts, flyers, letters and other correspondence, his book will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about your heroes. You’re not going to believe who wrote a fan-letter to grumpy English rocker Paul Weller. (It was Thomas Jefferson. Told you that you wouldn’t believe it.)

Every exposé shares two characteristics: all are hilarious, and all are 100% fabricated. The author should be well-known to comedy nerds as the creator and star of Adult Swim’s hilarious Delocated, as well as being a versatile writer and performer on shows like Late Night with Conan O’Brien and 30 Rock. As a loyal Conan man, there’s a part where he gets in a few jabs at Jay Leno, and his somewhat pedestrian taste in music and jokes. It’s one of the best sections of the book.

My Dead Dad was in ZZ Top shows a great attention to detail and music-biz minutiae, and most importantly, is funny as all get out. There’s a little section about the White Stripes, where notorious technophobe Jack White communicates via telegram: I thought that was a nice touch. Because each piece is only a page or two in length, it’s a very easy book to get through – I think I was done within an hour – and that’s all the more reason to pick it up.

If you’re only a casual music fan, much of this book may go over your head, but I don’t know a whole lot about most of the bands discussed, and I loved it. Above all else, it’s really funny. Check it out.

A Clean Slate

2011-01-06T22:26:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year from HDS!

Once again, I've started the year off with some un-reviewed 2010 books. In lieu of spending a ton of time on stuff read last year, here are some quick reviews so I can start off 2011 right.

(All blurbs are taken from the books' covers.)

That Summer - Sarah Dessen
For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She's nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister, the always perfect Ashley, is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley's reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.

As Dessen's first novel, this book is quite different from her current style. It doesn't have her typical boy meets girl plot (actually, it doesn't have the boy/girl relationship as a plot devise at all), yet it does showcase a compelling tale where a main character overcomes and breaks free from her insecurities. In this character driven story, Haven learns to move on and trust herself; she learns to open up and realize whats best for her.

While a cute story, I found it not as engaging as some of her other books. Still, I enjoyed it. Haven was a good younger central character. Confused, unsure, and lacking in confidence, she learns how to find herself by the end of the book. Sumner, the ex-boyfriend, was a fun somewhat love interest - he's a good guy with faults, but he's honest and upfront and what Haven needs. And Ashley, despite her wedding outbursts, is a great (and, in my bridal mind - completely justified) sister. Not my favorite by Dessen, but still a fun, easy read that left me a bit teary eyed in the end.
Website
Excerpt

Someone Like You - Sarah Dessen

Halley and Scarlett have been best friends for years, sharing secrets, clothes, and crushes. People know Scarlett as the popular, flamboyant one; Halley's just her quiet sidekick. Then, at the beginning of their junior year, the balance shifts. First, Scarlett's boyfriend Michael is killed in a freak accident; soon afterward, she learns that she is carrying his baby. For the first time, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it'll never break--because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever.

As Dessen's second novel, it's also a bit different from her current books. Halley was a strong central character, who gracefully changed as the book went on. I like how it wasn't immediate, and it wasn't a complete 180 - it was just enough of a realization to make it believable. Of course, there's a relationship in the mix - Halley falls for the not-so-great guy who just doesn't get it, but her belief in herself, as well as her friendship, overcomes him. I loved that most about the book - the strong bond of friendship, and how it can get you through anything.

Mostly, I loved Scarlett, the pregnant friend. She's strong, fiesty, and full of spirit - by far one of my favorite Dessen characters. Their bond is truly fantastic, and made me want to hug all of my best friends from the past. Really fun book, and inspirational story.
Website
Excerpt

Both books can be found together in the How To Deal movie tie-in book. I haven't seen the movie yet - which combines both stories. Is it good?

The Prince of Mist - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
In 1943, Max Carver's father - a watchmaker and inventor - decides to move his family to a small town on the coast, to an abandoned house that holds many secrets and stories of its own. Behind the house Max discovers an overgrown garden surrounded by a metal fence topped with a six-pointed star. In the centre is a large statue of a clown set in another six-pointed star. As the family settles in they grow increasingly uneasy: Max’s sister Alicia has disturbing dreams while his other sister, Irina, hears voices whispering to her from an old wardrobe. With his new friend Roland, Max also discovers the wreck of a boat that sank many years ago in a terrible storm. Everyone on board perished except for one man - an engineer who built the lighthouse at the end of the beach. As they learn more about the wreck, the chilling story of a legendary figure called the Prince of Mist begins to emerge.

When I heard Zafon published a young adult novel, clearly I was excited. He's one of my favorite authors; his words are beautiful and stories addictive. I learned upon researching that The Prince of Mist was actually Zafon's first book ever published, yet due to legal battles, was only translated this year (probably brought about due to the popularity of his adult novels). While the writing in this book is less dense than in his other books, it's just as poetic.

The story is eerie and mysterious, a full-on fantasy with little explanation as to how the fantastical elements can exist. For that, I found it odd - yet it was a fantasy/horror story, so I kept going. As stated, his storytelling is beautiful, but I found this book lacking the heart the others had. I liked the main characters, really cheered them on, but was shocked with how much Zafon put them through. And the open ending was a bit unsettling (there is no sequel - I looked it up).

His style is similar, but I definitely think he writes fiction better than YA. While I still think of the mysteries behind Shadow of the Wind, The Prince of Mist was somewhat forgettable. Beautifully written and addictive, but not what I hoped for. Zafon has three other YA books which will hopefully be published in the US soon, as well as two more parts of his Barcelona series.
Website

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances - John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson

The weather outside is frightful, but these stories are delightful! When a huge blizzard (that doesn't show signs of stopping) hits, Gracetown is completely snowed in. But even though it's cold outside, things are heating up inside, proving that the holiday season is magical when it comes to love. In three wonderfully (and hilariously!) interconnected tales, YA stars John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson create a must-have collection that captures all the spirit of the holiday season.

If you're looking for a cute holiday read, this really is it. The first part, "The Jubilee Express" by Maureen Johnson follows Jubilee (not a stripper, as she makes clear) as she learns her parents were imprisoned while waiting to purchase collectable Christmas figurines, boards a train for Florida, and gets stuck on said train due to a massive storm. From there, she visits a near-abandoned Waffle House, where she meets lovable Stuart, the complete opposite of her serious and professional boyfriend. This is the first thing I've read of Johnson's and I must say - it made me want to read more. It was fun, sweet, and utterly addictive. I loved Jubilee's voice, and the messes she gets herself into. And I absolutely fell in love with Stuart and his family. This was probably my favorite story in the book.

Although John Green's "A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle" comes in at an extremely close second place. In his usual voice and humor, Green presents a Christmas tale about desire and drive. Tobin, the main character, is spending Christmas Eve with his best friends the Duke (female) and JP (male) - that is, until their friend who works at the Waffle House (the same one Jubilee entered) calls to inform them that he's surrounded...by cheerleaders. The rest of the action-packed adventure follows the trio as they brace the storm and try to make it to Waffle House, so they can hopefully impress the lonely cheerleaders (with the exception of the Duke, who just wants hash browns). Along the way, mutual feelings are found and hilarity, of course, ensues. I absolutely adore Green's writing, and this short story managed to cram in all his novels have to offer. Some lines had me cracking up, while others had me completely swooning. And the Duke REALLY reminded me of myself at that age.

"The Patron Saint of Pigs" by Lauren Myracle, the last story, was a bit whiney for my taste. Addie breaks up with her boyfriend Jeb a week prior to Christmas, so she's depressed. Her best friends, Tegan and Dorrie, do everything to cheer her up - which includes telling her, honestly, that she needs to think of others instead of just herself. Many other people tell her that too as her shift at Starbucks goes on the following day, so much so that she, in time, learns to accept it and - well - grow up. It was a cute story, sure, but it lacked the heart, humor and joy the others offered. I was a bit sad it ended the book, honestly. BUT, what it did offer was an excellent conclusion where practically all of the characters from all three stories met. I love when that happens.
John Green's website
Maureen Johnson's website
Lauren Myracle's website

Best of 2010

2010-12-27T11:03:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the year when "Best Of" lists are popping up everywhere. While, the obvious book favorite of 2010 was Freedom, it's not on my list (okay, that's mostly because I haven't read it). My list contains, obviously, the best (in my opinion) of YA for this past year. Here you go:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Samir did a posting of his top four books of 2010, and obviously they're a bit different. Check it out and then let me know...what were your favorite books of 2010?

Book Review: Matched

2010-12-26T23:11:00.001-05:00

Matched
By Ally Condie
Dutton
Publication date: November 30, 2010
ISBN: 9780525423645

Since Matched came out, I've heard tons of positive reviews. It's becoming the next Big Thing, and I hear a movie may already be in the works. Since it's the first part of a trilogy, that's amazing news for the author. So, clearly, I had to check it out.

Honestly, I wasn't that impressed.

Matched is about a utopian future America, where people are sent specific food to eat, told who to marry, and given jobs. The government controls everything, and because of this, all evils of the world have disappeared (murder, robbery, cancer, etc.) The book starts with Cassia going to her Matching Banquet, where she learns who she will eventually marry. Surprised, she learns that her perfect match is her childhood best friend, Xander. Yet, when she sees his picture later, another image flashes by - the face of another boy she knows, Ky. The image doesn't leave her mind, and as she learns more and more about the System, and its possible flaws, she finds herself falling for the wrong boy. But a perfect system can't be wrong, can it?

Down to the smallest detail, Ally Condie does a fantastic job at creating this futuristic world. It's easy to picture, and eerily perfect. Her characters are well written, and a strong voice guides the entire novel. Rather than concentrating on action, the main struggle is within Cassia's mind, and while it got repetitive (and whiney) at times, it worked.

However, here's my main complaint: I feel like Condie went down a checklist of what sells in YA and applied it to her book:

Trilogy - check
Full government control - check
Utopian/dystopian future - check
Desire to break free - check
Love triangle - check
Loving someone you shouldn't of the two - check
Ongoing parallell to a frequently referenced to piece of literature - check (Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night."

That's not to say these things aren't good - they sell because they ARE good, but everything seemed a bit forced, especially the love story. The one good thing Condie did was address the undying question on my lips: Cassia never liked Ky more than a friend, yet after she saw his picture, she fell in love. It seemed SO forced, yet that whole aspect was explained. Somewhat well.

Of course, the most common comparison coming up is that of The Giver - one of the best books ever written about a dystopian future from a child's point of view. But where The Giver had Jonas, who had so much to lose and gain, Matched had Cassia. Jonas wanted EVERYONE to see the truth; he wanted to bring light to everyone's eyes. Cassia wanted to bring down the system just for love. It's not a BAD reason, but I wished she had more of a motivation. For her family. Her brother. Also, Jonas was sympathetic, I found Cassia just annoying. The more interesting characters - her parents, Ky, Xander - weren't used nearly as much. I actually wanted a lot more Xander, not because I'm "Team Xander" (a term already coined, of course), but because he seemed to have so much more to give. I feel like Condie didn't know what type of character she wanted him to be - should he go by the rules, should he be a rebel. But, at the heart, clearly he was a rebel and he should have been used more. Hopefully he is in the future books.

For a topic that's been done many times, I just wanted it to say more, or do something different. Matched is a fine young adult novel, and Condie is clearly a new literary talent within a YA universe. The book well written with an engaging plot and I can definitely see young adults liking it, and hopefully reading more into the genre, but it just wasn't enough for me.

I do, however, think the cover is beautiful.

The next book, Crossed, comes out November 1, 2011.

Cover Story on Melissa Walker's blog.
Matched official site.

Book Review: Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

2010-12-13T20:46:00.001-05:00

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland: A Book by Patton Oswalt
by Patton Oswalt
Scribner Books
Publication Date: January 4, 2011
ISBN: 9781439149089

Review by Samir Mathur

Like that of David Cross before him, Patton Oswalt’s debut book is an uneven compilation of many different types of pieces. It’s not an autobiography per se, although, as in his peerless stand-up comedy routine, there are some great anecdotes from his life. But, unlike Tracy Morgan or Sarah Silverman, stand-ups who’ve put out very revealing autobiographies in the last couple of years, Oswalt keeps some distance.

So, there is room for things like "The Song of Ulvaak," an epic poem written in memory of his favorite Dungeons and Dragons character – a half-orc assassin with a sentient sword named Bloodgusher. Fortunately, the poem has a prelude, which explains the basic tenets of D&D to squares like me who know nothing about it. There are some other parts that are also just flights of fancy, like the origin story for a popular hobo song; and even a little vampire comic strip, but these didn’t really do much for me.

Where Zombie Spaceship Wasteland really thrives is as a memoir. There are many topics of conversation that always crack me up when Oswalt talks about them onstage, and he elaborates on some of them to great success. His bit about a drug addict at an open mic night is one of his best, and sure enough, there’s a couple of longer pieces in the book about Oswalt's early days as a touring comedian, including "The Victory Tour", a diary of his absolute worst series of gigs ever. (Sorry to the people of Surrey, British Columbia, but Patton ain’t ever coming back).

Similarly, there’s a story about Oswalt's days working at a movie theatre in Sterling, Virginia, where his co-workers were all crazy, but in charmingly different ways. Like his bit about his hometown, he laments about living incredibly close to the burgeoning punk scene of D.C. in the 1980s, but living too far to actually be involved with it, and how early R.E.M. helped him feel less alienated. Patton enjoys making fun of the ineptitude in Hollywood and there’s a funny piece here about punching up a terrible script, and another about his confused – and mostly ashamed - experiences at an MTV gifting suite. He’s an outsider, clearly, who’s somehow found his way to the inside, and his insights are hilarious.

I was surprised to find a couple of actually very sweet articles, too, about Oswalt's childhood and his family life, which he doesn’t mention much in his stand up. There’s a nice piece about playing with friends in the snow, and another about his Uncle Pete, both of which see the writer let his guard down and offer some emotions to go with all the laughs.

Like I said, the book is uneven. But there’s more than enough here for fans (both Big and small) to enjoy.

Interview: Brad Meltzer

2010-12-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

Last month I had the chance to interview author Brad Meltzer for work. While, admittedly, I haven’t read any of his books yet (yikes), my dad loves them, so I was pretty excited to speak with him. After around 30 minutes of discussing history, writing, living in Florida, and superheroes (he likes Batman), I was totally convinced to read all of his books. (Top Secret: I actually bought one for my dad for Christmas. Shhh.) Meltzer is nice, funny, and really, really interesting.

I’m not the only one to think so; the History channel has given him his own TV show, Brad Meltzer's Decoded. It premiered last week and the second episode is tonight. Think The Da Vinci Code, only real. Basically, Meltzer thinks up a bunch of true historical mysteries (some of which inspired by his actual novels), and then actual professionals go and try to solve them. Super neat, right?

Anyway, check out my interview with Meltzer in the magazine’s digital issue (page 24). It goes into more depth about the TV show, as well as his new book, The Inner Circle, which is due out January 11.

Holiday Readings

2010-12-07T19:50:00.000-05:00

It's December so you know what that means, right?

I'm a bit of a sucker for the holidays. Muppet Christmas Carol on TV again? I'll watch it instead of putting my freshly-washed laundry away. (To be fair, I'll do almost anything over putting my laundry away.) Even though I'm bombarded by holiday songs, commercials, TV episodes (Glee Christmas!), and movies, I still like to fit in a holiday themed book every time December rolls around.

Sadly, I don't have a favorite holiday themed book that I read every year. Sure, I love How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Christmas Carol, but they've never become regulars. Instead, I pick up a new one each year.

Last year I tried The Perfect Christmas, which was as cheesy as it sounds, and The Gift, which I wish I could have returned. This year I've gotten my hands on Let it Snow, and I have high expectations. I love John Green's books, and have only heard good things about both Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson.

And if it fails to bring on the holiday spirit as I so hope it will - well, I guess I'll just have to find the Muppets again.

What are some of your favorite holidays books?

Book Review: Mad Men Unbuttoned

2010-12-05T09:41:00.000-05:00

Mad Men Unbuttoned: A Romp Through 1960s America
By Natasha Vargas-Cooper
Collins Design
Publication Date: July 20, 2010
ISBN: 9780061991004

When someone asks me what the TV show Mad Men is about (after hearing me rant on and on about its utter genius), I usually say something like: it's about the cultural shift of the 1960s, backed by the history of its time and the extremely pertinent New York advertising age. Natasha Vargas-Cooper says it a bit better:

"It's about the culture clash and contradictions that occurred during the twilight of the Eisenhower era, the great societal shake-up of the 1960s, and how that pressurized time in history formed modern America, its families, its consciousness, and its consumers."

It's because of that overwhelmingly detailed, yet spot on, prose that I was attracted to Vargas-Cooper's writing. I initially discovered her through her Tumblr site Mad Men Unbuttoned. The site pointed out the historical backdrop to each Mad Men episode, showing how the books the characters were reading, or the people mentioned were not just important to the plot, but also extremely telling. I saw how the ads really looked during that time period, and if any of the ones created on the fictional TV show for the actual companies were, in fact, real. (Fun fact, the Lucky Strike ad from the first episode - "it's toasted" - was!)

It was through that site that I discovered her longer, well-thought-out articles on The Awl, entitled Footnotes of Mad Men. The site became the first thing I looked at after watching the newest episode. I liked the websites that offered thorough analysis into the episode (such as Vulture on NYMag, which is my second favorite source), but I really loved Vargas-Cooper's site because it didn't just discuss the implications of Don's sly remark, it went into what was actually going on during the time period, and offered a more overall culture study. Also, I really like history.

That said, I was excited that her writings were finally published in Mad Men Unbuttoned. Although an unauthorized guide to the show, it's a fantastic companion piece (and I highly Matt Weiner hiring her as a researcher for the show). Separated into different sections (The Ads and the Men Who Made Them; Style; Smoking, Drinking, and Drugging; etc...) the book delves deeper into everything the show represents, giving a grander understanding to each ad, each character trait, and each decorated home.

It's not just an ode to Mad Men - it's a cultural study of the time period (or, as the book says, "a romp through 1960s America"). It uses Mad Men as a backdrop to discuss what was really going on, from fashion to politics. Those who are intrigued by the age would be just as interested in the literary work.

The first chapter, which discussed actual advertising from that time period and the movers and shakers that made it happen, was actually my favorite. It overviewed the historic ad campaigns (Marlboro Man, Volkswagen Think Small, Western Union, etc), showing the actual ad and how it was thought up. After each company and product was discussed, it showed how some Mad Men ads were similar, and how the characters mirror some of the real high power people of that age. It shows how Sal's art was at turmoil due to the fact that many companies started to turn to photographs; how shops were re-designed, much like Menken's. My personal favorite, it showed the start of the font Helvetica, and how it was used as an "everyman" sort of font that people could understand despite size and wasn't too fancy or too bold.

Other chapters went into the style, movies, literature, and decor of the time period, showing where Betty may have gotten her fashion influence. It shows how the times are changing, and how the characters must evolve with it (tighter waists like Joan, fuller skirts like Betty's). Or, how certain movie actors of the time were very similar to some of the leading characters (the Cary Grant/Clark Gable/Humphrey Bogart/John Wayne sexual alchemy of Don Draper). Or, the books the characters read, and how they showcase another side of the character's life.

Indeed, the book is completely inclusive, discussing every aspect the 1960s and show both represent. It offers a fuller look into the program, but more so, a deeper look into the time period and what the characters were up against. It was a book I purchased and figured i'd read on and off throughout the holiday season, as it wasn't a page-turning fiction novel, but greedily devoured in around three days. The chapters are short and too the point, with enough detail piled in that it had me repeatedly wanting to share the information with others. I'm excited to see what Vargas-Cooper has in store next.

Is it time for season five yet?

Related...
Interview with Vargas-Cooper for Harper Studio.
Selections from the book at The Telegraph.
Don Draper's Sex Appeal in Mad Men for The Daily Beast.

Book Review: When You Reach Me

2010-12-02T21:37:00.001-05:00

When You Reach Me
By Rebecca Snead
Wendy Lamb Books
Publication date: July 14, 2009
ISBN: 9780385737425

It took me a while to write this review. Not because I didn’t like it, far from that. It just took me a bit to fully take the book in and fully appreciate all it has to offer.

Set in both the past and present, When You Reach Me follows the story of Miranda, a sixth grader, in 1979. It opens with her assisting her mother, who is preparing for an appearance on The $20,000 Pyramid. She diligently tests her mom, hoping they’ll win the grand prize. While doing this, Miranda is haunted by the fact that notes she keeps receiving have, somehow, predicted the future – most notably, that her mother would be on the TV show. As she tries to figure them out, and who they’re from, she reflects back to the first note’s appearance.

It was earlier that year. Miranda had been disheartened by the fact that her best friend, Sal, decided to stop talking to her after she witnessed him get punched by an older kid. Because she no longer has him to walk with her to and from school, she has to pass the older boys who sometime taunt her and the crazy homeless man on the corner, nicknamed the Laughing Man, on her own. The Laughing Man continuously repeats to himself “bookbag pocketshoe” and Miranda, a truth New Yorker, has learned to ignore him and his puzzling antics.

With Sal no longer in the picture, Miranda makes new friends, including Marcus, the boy who punched Sal. Marcus, like Miranda, enjoys the book A Wrinkle in Time, and they debate time travel frequently, with him attempting to make points about its validity, and her getting confused. She also befriends Annamaria and Colin, two classmates with stories of their own. During their lunchtime, they get jobs helping out at a sandwich shop, and are paid in food. It’s then that she starts receiving the notes. Each one mentions an event that will (and does) happen in the future, and each asks for her to record the events of her life from then on.

The story continues to bounce back and forth between the present tale of the game show preparation and the back story of Miranda, leading up to an ultimate climax that ties everything together, from the Laughing Man’s strange behavior to the mysterious notes, aging Miranda in the process. It’s easy to note her change through subtle realizations; although very timid, it’s notable at the end.

The book was brilliantly done, and incorporates aspects of science fiction, mystery and coming of age genres. Yes, it does incorporate time travel (with strong references to A Wrinkle in Time), but it does it extremely well. It’s hard to write an original time traveling story, but Rebecca Stead finds a way to do it. I think mostly because the book isn’t ABOUT time travel, the action is just a connecting factor. The true story lies in Miranda’s maturation process, childhood friendships, and the family bond. The time travel doesn’t feel forced, it feels natural, practical.

Stead is an incredibly talented writer, who’s words flow easily. She gives a strong voice to Miranda, characterizing her perfectly. My only complaint would be that I felt she made the kids act too mature for their age. Some, like Colin, were perfect – less mature, and overall goofy. Miranda, and definitely Marcus (who was, admittedly, older), were extremely knowledgeable for their age and grasped harder concepts easily. That said, I still loved both characters.

I really adored how everything wrapped up – and I mean everything. From subtle mentions to large plot points, everything comes together in the end, and it’s absolutely brilliant. It shows that Stead did not waste one single word while writing – everything had a point, a message. And while I did wonder if the ending was too complex for young children (heck, it took me a few minutes to understand it all!), I applaud Stead for giving children the challenge. She doesn’t dumb down her books, not at all; she guides readers through the adventures and challenges them each step of the way.

The book was brilliantly done and I envy all those who get to read it for the first time.

**Paperback will be released on December 28, 2010!

Book Review: This Book Is Overdue

2010-11-10T21:48:00.000-05:00

This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All
By Marilyn Johnson
Harper
Publication Date: February 2, 2010
ISBN: 9780061431609

When I decided to become a library student, many of my friends shook their head knowingly, as if to say “why didn’t you think of this sooner?” Others, however, asked the dreaded question every librarian fears: “Do people still use the library?” As the recession hit, and more and more people started to turn to the library, those same people came back to me, always bursting with information, such as “did you know libraries have free movie rentals?” “Did you know you can rent video games?” “Did you know how many books are even there?”

Yes. Yes I did.

I wish, when announcing my new scholarly path, I had Marilyn Johnson’s book to thrust at them, demanding them to read it. Her book was needed, not just by me, but by librarians everywhere. Her book is the warm blanket, the reassuring hug, that says “Yes, I understand. You ARE necessary.”

This Book is Overdue highlights libraries from all over that are making a difference, be it big or small. From creating online degree programs for underprivileged youths in developing nations, to offering information to protestors, such as “where’s the nearest bathroom” in New York, the book essentially shows that librarians do so much more than shush at people. Indeed, the degree is found within the College of Information – meaning librarians don’t just provide books, they provide information.

Indeed, in Johnson's book, she talks with blogging librarians (including a certain fabulous QoFE), librarians who've had to go to court on account of protecting patron records, tattooed librarians, librarian drills with book cards, Second Life librarians, and more. She fights the stereotype of the cardigan wearing, glasses clad shusher and shows how librarians help people wrestle through information to find what they're looking for. Johnson shows that the digital age hasn't killed the library, its only made it stronger.

This Book is Overdue is fantastic, and Johnson’s writing is fun, informative, and never boring. She writes in a conversational tone that gets you into the story. In a non-preachy way, Johnson shows just how valuable libraries are, and, more importantly, how astonishing their workers are. Even as budgets get cut smaller and smaller, these librarians are still making a difference with their minimal staff and hours. Just this past year, the entire state of Florida bonded together to turn down a bill that would completely remove all of library funding. See? People do care.

Last April, I had the chance hear Johnson speak about her book. She was passionate, outspoken, and funny. She had seen it all, and continues to look into library programs because they're constantly evolving. During her speech, she said "What is a library? Everything in the world and a human to help."

Her book was overdue; if I had it earlier, I would have gone into the field much sooner. If only every legislature had a copy – and, at that, a library card – we may not need people to remind us of the importance of libraries. And librarians.

Johnson and I at the Florida Library Association conference last April

Book's official page

NY Times review

Book Review: My Year of Flops

2010-11-08T18:29:00.001-05:00

My Year of Flops: The A.V. Club Presents One Man's Journey Deep into the Heart of Cinematic Failure
By Nathan Rabin
Scribner
Publication Date: October 19, 2010
ISBN: 9781439153123

Review by Samir Mathur

For the last few years, Nathan Rabin has been writing his My Year Of Flops column over at The AV Club. As that sentence suggests, it was conceived as a 12-month-long project, but Rabin underestimated its popularity, and it's still going strongly four years later. This book collects some of those columns, adds some new case files, and interviews some of the actors involved with some of these films.

I really enjoy Rabin’s writing on The AV Club. His recaps of The Simpsons and 30 Rock are often just as funny as the episodes themselves, and his latest project, analyzing each of the Now! That’s What I Call Music compilations, is equally detailed and fun. I was only lukewarm on Rabin’s memoirs, The Big Rewind, because they documented his very difficult childhood and upbringing and contained – yuck – actual feelings, emotions and sadness. Even though they were littered with Simpsons quotes and other pop culture trivia that I love, that book just didn’t do much for me.

My Year of Flops – “a floposphere for pop-culture rubberneckers and schadenfreude enthusiasts” - totally did it for me though. It’s important to note that this isn’t just a collection of bad movies. Anybody can make fun of a terrible movie – Videogum.com does it particularly well– but Rabin isn’t concerned with doing that. It’s far more interesting to think about movies, often very obscure, that just don’t work. For whatever reason. Rabin dissects each case file, in meticulous detail, and then decides whether each one is just bad (a ‘Failure’), or spectacularly, what-on-Earth-were-they-thinking bad (the ‘Fiascos’), or sometimes, he’ll find films that are worth a second look, that he considers to be unfairly deemed flops and actually have more to offer. These are the ‘Secret Successes’.

There are plenty of things that can make a movie go south. Among the famous flops that are discussed in book is Gigli, the Affleck/Lopez film that arrived after months of intense media hype, and could never live up to the constant tabloid coverage of "Bennifer". Sure enough, critics pounced on the film’s stodgy, unnatural dialogue and especially the leads’ performances – Affleck is nobody’s idea of a mobster. In one of his many great comparisons, Rabin’s says that Christopher Walken’s appearance in this film is “like Miles Davis popping into a Holiday Inn lounge and jamming with the house band. [Writer/director Martin] Brest has written dialogue so doggedly strange and unnatural that only Walken can hack his way through it without looking like an amateur.” And in case you’re wondering, yes, of course there’s a case file on Battlefield Earth: “John Travolta, an actor who makes so many flops that when other actors fail, they have to pay him royalties.”

Sometimes filmmakers grossly misread their source material – c.f. 1995’s The Scarlett Letter and its happy ending; 1997’s Lolita; and Ang Lee’s Hulk, where the filmmakers “screwed up a perfectly good smash-'em-up comic-book monster movie with their infernal "art" and "ideas".” Sometimes movies become flops based on how expensive they were to make versus how much they were actually reviled when they were released. To this end, Rabin offers a minute-by-minute commentary to the director’s cut of Waterworld (three hours long!) so you don’t have to ever see it. Also, did you know that, to promote Last Action Hero, Columbia Pictures paid half a million dollars to have Arnold Schwarzenegger’s face painted onto the side of a space shuttle? Madness.

Then there are the films that are just doomed from the start because of their head-scratching concepts. Here are a few choice lines from the book that concisely illustrate this point.

“Like The Star Wars Holiday Special, [1978’s] Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band puts a beloved cultural institution in a new context so mind-bogglingly inappropriate that it engenders intense cognitive dissonance.”

“Paint Your Wagon represents an odd marriage of convenience between the manliest cinematic genre (the Western) and the girliest one (the musical).”

“[Gus Van Sant’s Psycho] belongs not in a movie theater or a drive-in but in a conceptual art museum in a wing devoted to pretentious experiments in pointlessness.”

Again, though, Rabin isn’t just here to gleefully make fun of poorly-thought-out pieces. There are those which earn the “Secret Success” tag, such as Michael Cimino’s legendary Heaven’s Gate, a film that sank so hard that the director (who had previously won an Oscar for The Deerhunter) hardly made any movies afterwards. Oh, and the movie studio that funded it, United Artists, collapsed as a result. That’s the nice thing about this book and indeed the whole project: Rabin watches the films and judges them for what they are. Even though he notes all the off-screen turmoil, he can still form an opinion of each film based purely on the film itself. He says of Heaven’s Gate "[i]t's a film of rare beauty and scope, a feast for the eyes and a harrowing, unflinching meditation on the cruelty of capitalism.” While that sounds heavy and boring to me, another reader might be inspired to check out the film.

Always funny, self-deprecating and willing to drop an obscure gem of pop-culture trivia, Rabin’s writing is a delight, and this book is great for people like me who love knowing the full story behind Hollywood disasters. The writing is always accessible and even when providing historical context, it doesn’t get boring, so that’s a plus. Now, I’m off to give Southland Tales a second chance.

Small Town Sinners REVEAL!

2010-11-04T20:13:00.000-04:00

On July 19, Melissa Walker's newest book, Small Town Sinners, will be released. (I've already proclaimed on HDS how much I love Walker's blog and her previous book, Lovestruck Summer).

Today, HDS has the privilege to reveal the cover!

Beautiful, isn't it? Here's the official synopsis:

Lacey Anne Byer is a perennial good girl and lifelong member of the House of Enlightenment, the Evangelical church in her small town. With her driver's license in hand and the chance to try out for a lead role in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, Lacey's junior year is looking promising. But when a cute new stranger comes to town, something begins to stir inside her. Ty Davis doesn't know the sweet, shy Lacey Anne Byer everyone else does. With Ty, Lacey could reinvent herself. As her feelings for him make Lacey test her boundaries, events surrounding Hell House make her question her religion. Does falling in love mean falling out of faith?

I love when authors slowly reveal information about their new books. As for this one, I cannot wait to read it!

Book Review: Lock and Key

2010-10-25T20:29:00.000-04:00

Lock and Key
By Sarah Dessen
Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
ISBN: 9780670010882

After finishing Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, of all things, a Grey’s Anatomy quote came to mine.

"There's an old proverb that says you can't choose your family. You take what the fates hand you. And like them or not, love them or not, understand them or not, you cope. Then there's the school of thought that says the family you're born into is simply a starting point. They feed you, and clothe you, and take care of you, until you're ready to go out into the world and find your tribe."

Indeed, the book is about family – what it means, and who can be part of it. Does it refer to blood relatives, or something more? That’s the question Dessen brings in her eighth young adult novel.

Lock and Key is, essentially, just like Dessen’s other novels (spoilery for those who’ve never read her books): girl has a problem; girl is taken out of her elements and meets a boy with problems; girl and boy (after much back and forth) fall for one another; quickly after, girl and boy break up and don’t speak; girl learns to confront her problem; with a handful of pages remaining, girl is better and gets back with boy.

It’s very formulaic, and yet, I still love it. In this story, the girl is Ruby Cooper and she has a disagreeable past. Her dad left when she was very young, and her sister raised her as their mother spiraled downward. At 18, her sister, Cora, left for college and was never heard from again. After, Ruby and her mother moved from place to place, always living in horrible conditions. After settling into a small, yellow house, Ruby’s mother disappears for good.

The story starts with Ruby, 17, being picked up by child services, despite her protest to live alone until she’s of age. She’s forced to live with the now-found sister and husband, Jaime. The couple live on the swanky side of town, in a large house with a nervous dog. Ruby has to adjust to this new life, her new upscale school, the disappearance of her mother, and her new relationship with her sister.

At first, I must say, I wasn’t very impressed. I didn’t like Ruby; I found her annoying and ungrateful of anything Cora gave her. Then, I remembered Ruby was a teenager. Then I remembered her past. And, okay, she was still annoying, but I understood.

By about halfway in, any negative thoughts about Ruby vanished. The character’s subtle change was beautiful, and I find that Dessen’s greatest skill. Not only can she weave an addictive plot, she can have a character completely change by the end of a book without any obvious “aha!” moments. Just like in life, her characters slowly come to truths and realizations.

Dessen’s writing is rich with description and introspective looks at each character. I love her for this because although the story is simple, it discusses serious issues and uses analogies more suited for adult novels. Dessen doesn’t write down for young adults; she writes a good story, knowing her readers will understand.

While Ruby was a good leading character, I found Lock and Key’s background characters much more interesting. Cora, with her desire to make her life the opposite of the one she lived as a child; Jaime, who constantly tries to give Cora everything she never had (with an amazing amount of patience and understanding). I adored the shaky relationship between all of them – the new family. It grew and changed and felt real.

Other characters include Olivia, Ruby’s new somewhat friend who might seem completely heartless on the outside, but will do anything for friends and family. And Nate, the boy next door (literally) who has a dark problem of his own. I found him most interesting, as he and Ruby dealt with their problems in complete opposite ways. Him, an eternal optimist, her always negative. The duality was interesting, and their relationship endearing. Their situation taught Ruby to help someone else, as well as herself.

Overall, Lock and Key was a great read that left me wanting more. I’m still thinking of the characters, and hope they’ll re-appear (as some of her characters are want to do) in later novels. And I think that's what makes a great novel, isn't it?

Book Review: DIck and Jane and Vampires

2010-10-20T22:37:00.000-04:00

Dick and Jane and Vampires
By Laura Marchesani
Grosset & Dunlap
Publication date: August 26, 2010
ISBN: 9780448455686

When we got Dick and Jane and Vampires in at my office, no one asked "Why did they do this?" Instead, we asked "Why didn't they do this SOONER?"

Sure, the literary mash-up has been done (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters), and the vampire trend is almost overwhelming (Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries), but for some reason, this book just makes sense.

The premise is simple - it's a regular Dick and Jane book, only with a twist - the kids meet a vampire. It starts with the three kids (Dick, Jane and Sally) playing outside when the see a bat. Soon, they become comfortable with the bat, and learn that the bat is, in fact, a vampire. The family (with the exception of Father, who seems to be missing most of the book) befriends the vampire, and he engages in their daily antics. (The vampire dressed in women's clothes when Mother sews is priceless. And him jumping rope is amazing.)

The text is similar ("See Jane. See Jane go. See Jane go fast."), only with added surprises ("See the funny little baby. Vampire is my baby. Vampire is my funny little baby.") Most impressively, the pictures are the same as well. After Marchesani finished the text, illustrator Tommy Hunt picked out original Dick and Jane images to use in the book. He then added the vampire in, in the same style so no one would know any different. Some images are completely new, while others are simply re-touched. In essence, it's the same kids book, only with a new supernatural element. I must say, the writing was dead on and the images were amazing.

The book reminds me very much of Shrek - perfectly appropriate for children, yet still quite funny for adults. Why does Vampire want to hang out with children? And why is he hiding under Sally's bed? And where is Father?

I don't see it being a classic, as the Dick and Jane books are, but I do see it as being a great novelty gift. It's a very quick, very fun read - perfect for anyone looking to poke fun at the immensely popular vampire genre. In my office, it's become our favorite thing to read when we need a break from work.

Behind the scenes at Mediabistro
Wall Street Journal review

The New HDS

2010-10-13T17:11:00.000-04:00

HDS is back! Well, somewhat.

What troubled me most about HDS is that it didn't know what it was. When I wanted to write about books, I felt like I was leaving my other readers out, yet when I wanted to write about my life, I felt my book blog readers didn't care. My two loves were not melding together. I lost inspiration.

SO! HDS is going to turn 100% into...a book blog! You'll continue to find my book reviews here, as well as other book news, so please continue to follow it.

But what about my writings, you may ask. Well i'm continuing them as well. I still want a place where I can write what I want, so you can find that at my new blog, laurengibaldi.wordpress.com. There, you'll get my stories, writings, observations. Some guest posts. How HDS used to be, before I became self-conscious about writing.

Sound good? Great. I’m excited to see where this will go, and I promise not to leave out either set of readers again. I'm getting rid of all other started blogs - these are the only two I truly care about.

To new blogging adventures!

The Engagement Story

2010-09-07T12:42:00.000-04:00

Did you know there are hundreds - I mean HUNDREDS - of different bridal magazines? One for every state/city/type of bride/hair color. I mean, seriously. How does one go through all of that?

They don't. That's why I'm writing in my blog.

And so, the engagement story:

A few weeks ago, Samir asked if I wanted to go down to Sarasota with him to visit his parents and (most importantly) relax by the beach. Of course I agreed. And so, this past Saturday we left.

The drive was really easy up until the very end when it a) started raining and b) turned into nonstop traffic. I was getting irritated. Samir was edgy. Truly, it was forming to be the perfect afternoon. But, he still wanted to bring me some place nice, since we had the time. So we decided on the marina.

It was really pretty there, and the weather cleared up. After walking around for a bit, we sat on a bench and watched the boats we'll never own float across the water. After a while, he started saying nice things and I got suspicious (not because he never says kind things, but - you know). Then he stood up. Then I said the first stupid thing.

"Are you really doing this?" In my mind, I was excitedly asking him. Apparently, it didn't come out that way.

So he got down on one knee. Stupid thing #2.

"You don't have to kneel!" Again, in my mind I was saying that because the ground was hot and he was wearing shorts. And, of course, it did not come out that way.

But he continued anyway, offering pretty words, and finally put the ring on my finger. There was shaking and tears and hugs and so on. A few minutes later he had to make sure I said yes because, apparently, I didn't really say anything. I'm obviously great under emotional situation.

It was perfect in so many ways. It was us together with no one else really around. No spectators besides random people a few benches down. No grand gestures. No cheesy lines. It was simple - and simple, to me, is always more.

Now, here's what I didn't know:

Two weeks prior, while I was in New York, he had gone to my parents' house to ask my dad's permission. My dad excitedly called my mom, who told my aunt, who promptly called my cousin - who I was standing next to at the time. My cousin did an amazing job of covering things up, because I didn't suspect a thing.

A week prior, he went to my parents' house for the ring. Here's the story behind the ring: it was, originally, my Great Aunt Faye's from the 1930s. She was the first person in my family to marry outside of the religion. Obviously, I'm doing the same, so I really wanted that specific ring. I was emotionally attached to it, so really, it's perfect.

A few days prior, he got it cleaned while I was at work. At that point, my family knew, his family knew. EVERYONE knew but me. But that's the best, isn't it?

And so - that's the story. We're both extremely excited - and really stunned by all of the messages we've received. (We love you all!) Now, I'm sorting through wedding magazines and trying to pick a venue so we can set a date. We're thinking late September 2011. I'm thinking pumpkins.

This is going to be one exciting year.

Engaged!

2010-09-05T07:56:00.000-04:00

I'm moody
And I really like to get my way
My hair is huge in the morning
And I can listen to show tunes for hours
I cry during some commercials
And I can't even look at snakes
My eating habits are horrible
And I read more books for young adults than adults
Things have to be done a certain way
And my toes are quite crooked

But despite all this and more - he still asked me to marry him.

And of course I said yes.

More details later. :)

Book Review: Mockingjay

2010-08-29T08:51:00.000-04:00

Mockingjay
By Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Publication Date: August 24, 2010
ISBN: 978-0439023511

I never wrote anything about Catching Fire. Since it's the middle book, I didn't want to give anything away that might hint at the former book for those wishing to read the series. But it's not to say the second book wasn't good - it really was. Shocking. Inspiring. Painful. Wonderfully done. Amazing new characters who I fell in love with. It's like Back to the Future 2 - just as good, if not better, than the original - yet the first is necessary in understanding and completely engaging in the second.

It's for the same reason I was hesitant to write about Mockingjay. Yet, a day later, when i'm still ruminating on the ending, I feel as if I have to write something. I just can't get it out of my mind.

There seems to be mixed reviews on the book. While, generally, they're mostly positive, many people feel the ending was too painful, too real. They feel the characters lost their compassion, and somehow went awry. They wanted it to be happier.

But a series about a country where its main form of entertainment is a battle royale will not have a happy ending. Katniss will not choose one guy, beat President Snow, and live happily ever after. There will be consequences. Lives will be lost. People will be hurt. Yes, painful, but real.

The writer of this fantastic review quoted a character from the miniseries "Band of Brothers" by stating "The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it." And that, essentially, is what the last book is about. Katniss has been forced through hell. Twice at this point. She knows what it's like to lose people she loves. She has killed, she's been torn away from home, she has barely survived numerous times. By the beginning of Mockingjay, she's not living anymore - she's surviving. And she's being forced through more.

And that's why I find Gale's quote about who she'll choose so fitting. "Katniss will pick whoever she thinks she can't survive without." It's not heartless - it's true. And it's something that turns from "thinks" to "knows."

With that, it's NOT about who she'll choose - Gale or Peeta. The series never was. Sure, it was the backstory, the romance that kept readers wanting more, but that never was the main plot. And as broken and lost as she is in this book, she just can't choose. (Yet, as readers do know, she does in the end. But that's not the point.)

The book is about war. About how hard it is, and how much people go through during and after it. The consequences. The reprocussions. The choices they have to make - the choices they're forced to make. Who to go back for, who to leave behind. Who to ultimately trust. Because, when fighting and killing, who really is right?

Yet, Katniss still has some of her old self around. Seen when she risks her life to help in districts 2 and 8, or when she makes a gift for Johanna, or pushes the hair out of Peeta's face - she's still there. She's still compassionate, but she's lost so much and seen so much in the process that it's easy for her to just slip into the void she's getting used to - hiding in closets and avoiding people. She can't get her life back.

Everything about the end was shocking, and I think that's what made it so good, and so painful. I was drained in the end, completely emotionally exhausted from the roller coaster of a book. But that's what it was supposed to feel like, I think. It was supposed to take you through every emotion, every feeling Katniss went through. So by the end there's more truth than comfort in Plutarch's words: "Collective thinking is usually short-lived. We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction. Although who knows? Maybe this will be it..."

No one is whole after its over. There's no getting your life back. There's just pushing on, surviving. There will always be those moments where, like Peeta, you'll have to hold onto the back of the chair just to make it out of the flashback. But you keep going because you find something - or someone - else to hold onto. And that's what Katniss does in the end, which, to me, is the ultimate test of strength. And there's so much beauty in it.

Truly, I wish more books were written like this. Honest. Painful. Wonderful.

Book Review: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

2010-08-11T20:34:00.000-04:00

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June
By Robin Benway
Razorbill
Publication date: August 3, 2010
ISBN: 9781595142863

April, May, and June, three sisters a year apart from one another, start the school year at a brand new school after their parents’ divorce. One morning, slowly, each discover that they have, seemingly, a special power. Each power mirror’s their personality: April, the cautious, intellectual, older sister, can see the figure; May, the recluse middle child, can turn invisible; and June, the inquisitive and energetic youngest one, can read minds. As they realize their changes, when driving home from school one day, they each have different ideas of how to use their powers. April doesn’t want to be strange, she doesn’t want to effect the future. May sees hers as a great way to get away from everyone when need be. And June decides her power is the ultimate way to become popular.

Yet, when April starts seeing visions of her youngest sister in trouble – flashes of red lights, an ambulance – she tries to find ways to delay the inevitable. But it’s not until the three girls learn to work with one another, and accept their differences, that they can really overcome what’s set to happen.

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June is overwhelmingly decent. It’s a cute, fast-paced read with vivid characters and a good story. It gives readers the chance to vicariously have those super powers they sometimes wish they could receive. However, the book overall seemed lacking.

I felt that the characters were extremely stereotypical – with April always being conservative and careful (and pretty boring), May being the rebellious disheveled emo girl, and June being the perky, pink skirt wearing blonde. The chapters alternate, each told by a different girl’s point of view. While I didn’t love any of the girls, I did eventually enjoy them well enough the more I read, as they grew and changed (May being – in the end – my favorite). What Robin Benway does really well is change the perspective just as you’re starting to get into the character’s story. It keeps you reading.

The ending was a bid disappointing, too. The story, once April sees danger, creates a whirlwind of excitement, getting the reader to quickly push through the final pages, awaiting the climactic scene. The buildup is great, and yet, when the moment does happen, it kind of falls flat.

While I didn’t particularly love the book, I did find it fun, and I think middle grade girls will truly enjoy it. The book shows the importance of friendship and, ultimately, family. There are some very cute scenes, and some very funny ones as well. It may lack the heart of many YA books out there, but the author definitely has talent and I’m excited to see what she has in store next.

Benway's website/blog

Book Review: Hunger Games

2010-08-10T17:05:00.002-04:00

The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Publication date: September 14, 2008
ISBN: 9780439023481

I had heard about Hunger Games a while ago - how could I have not? After Stephenie Meyer gave it her seal of approval, the books (almost literally) flew off the shelves. But, I resisted. It sounded too Battle Royale for me. Then my friends started reading it and loving it. Then a movie was announced. Then Book Club Girl created the Read-A-Long and, at that point, I really couldn't say no. What kind of youth services librarian would I be having not read it?

To put it bluntly - as I sit typing this, I have one eye on the screen and one on door, waiting for Amazon to bring me Catching Fire, the sequel. I ordered it before I was even done with Hunger Games. Yeah, it's that good.

As you probably know by now, Hunger Games is about a post-apocaliptic North America. The land is now Panem, a country divided into the capital and 12 distinct districts. Each year, to show that the leaders in the capital are all-powerful, two children (a boy and a girl aged 12-18) are chosen from each district to compete in a televised battle royale. The 24 children must fight to the death, until only one stands. That winner will bring wealth and respect back to his or her family and district. The entire event is broadcast to the city for - disgustingly - its entertainment.

Sixteen year old Katniss Evergreen is from District 12, a very poor area known for coal mining. With her father dead, she single-handedly takes care of her mother and younger sister, Prim. When Prim is chosen to be part of the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. So, she and the baker's son, Peeta, are taken to the capital and - eventually - the games, where they have to use every skill possible to literally stay alive.

The book is extremely gripping from page one. Part The Lottery, part Lord of the Flies and part Battle Royale, it brings all of the themes together into one delicious read. And it doesn't hold back. While just a young adult book, Suzanne Collins does not treat her readers like children. From the moment the games begin, character die - brutally. Shocking, terrifying, and utterly engaging, the book doesn't let you put it down.

I enjoyed the overall theme - how the government, when given the chance, can really overtake and overthrow society. I never forgot how much was at stake for Katniss, as she navigated the playing field, and it utterly terrified me. It's a great read for today's society, that's so obsessed with reality tv shows.

There's a reason the book has been linked to the Twilight series. While much better written, it's equally as grabbing. There isn't a vampire, yet there is an underlying romance brewing for Katniss. Yet, as opposed to Bella, Katniss is extremely hardcore. She's not weak, and while at times she does doubt her survival, she continues going. She's a fantastic character.

While brutal, the book was truly fantastic and I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the sequel (and the release of the final book of the trilogy - Mockingjay). Seriously, don't doubt it. It may seem similar in theme, but it definitely brings a new spin and is incredibly haunting from page one. It shows the power of children, and, ultimately, the raw talent of the author. It keeps you thinking, as any great book should do.

The trilogy's official website
The trilogy's UK official website (note the creepy covers!)
Great New York Times essay on the power of YA lit (discussing Hunger Games)

Interview: Author Rachel Shukert

2010-08-09T09:00:00.001-04:00

I recently had the chance to do an interview with the fabulous Rachel Shukert, author of Everything is Going to Be Great. Her answers are frank, truthful, and - much like her books - extremely funny and insightful. Enjoy!

1. Your new book lets readers experience your "underfunded and overexposed European Grand Tour." I'm sure readers will choose their favorite parts (I know I did), but what was YOUR favorite part of the experience?

I know I should probably say meeting my husband, right? And obviously, that WAS my favorite part, in the long term (you're catching me on a "happily married" day.) But I think in ways I was really the happiest when I was working at the comedy club, surrounded by this odd cast of recurring characters. It was the period of my life that most felt like a 1970's sitcom, which is what I always dreamed adulthood would be like. It was like being in Taxi or something, you know? This small group of misfit characters (some with funny accents) who are always hanging out together and don't appear to know any other people. Except we actually didn't know any other people. We all had our roles to play. It was great.

2. How did you decide what to include from your adventures, and what to leave out? (As a sub-question - how do you find such INSANE/awesome situations?)

That's the challenge of writing a memoir as opposed to a novel; you have assemble something compelling out of all these bits and pieces of real-life experience. It's like making art with found objects; you have to find a way to elevate these little memories and observations and cocktail party stories into something greater than the sum of its parts, and that can be tricky. For every scenario that made its way into the final book, I probably wrote and through out another one, especially at the beginning--oh God, I went on for pages about going to Freud's House and this Museum of Medical Oddities, and there was all this other stuff about a windmill--all gone. Maybe someday we'll do a collection of outtakes. Eventually though, the narrative starts to poke its way through the mess and then you know where to go. Also, there a reason we all have these stories we repeat over and over, that we keep returning to in our minds as emblematic of a certain time in our lives. It's because they were the best ones, or at least the most vivid ones, the ones we really have a handle on, you know? It's okay to to trust your instincts that way, I think.

As far as getting myself into these mad situations, well, when you spend a lot of time alone like I was doing during this period, people approach you, and loneliness can make you do a lot of things that are probably against your better judgment. And also, my whole life I've been a weirdo magnet. Out of the entire subway car of people, I'm the one the homeless guy decides he needs to speak to about Jesus, you know? I've always wondered why that is. I think it's because I'm interested, and crazy people can sense out interest the way a cat knows when you're opening a can of tuna on a different floor of the house. It's like: that girl in the ponytail! She's the one I can finally tell the story of my decade of sexual enslavement on that dairy farm in Saskatchewan! She'll understand! And in a funny way, I think I kind of do.

3. With your background in theatre, what inspired you to start writing essays?

Actors are all obsessed with their personal experiences, you know? It's not just narcissism (although that's a lot of it); it's a really important tool to be able to identify precisely what an experience meant to you, what your emotions were, what it looked like and what it felt like, in order to be able to access and reproduce all those things in a scene. So this was a form that felt very natural to me. It was just sort of an outgrowth of what I had already been trained to do.

The first things I wrote were actually for the theater. In acting school, I got really bored hearing the same monologues and scenes over and over again in class, so I started writing some of my own to perform, just really absurd little things that I would sometimes pretend I'd found somewhere. That led to writing plays, which sort of snowballed into prose, which led to the strange little career you see laid before you today.

4. Do you have plans for another book?

Yes! It's going to be a novel, and it's set in Berlin, and that's really all I am at liberty to tell you right now! I also just sold a three-book YA series, which I am very excited to begin work on. I'll give you the details as soon as it's announced, which it hasn't been officially yet. But you got the scoop here!

5. I've noticed that there's a new trend in writing right now - the female essayist is becoming incredibly popular, with books being released by you, Sloane Crosley, Julie Klausner and more. How does it feel to be part of this movement, and why do you think it's so (rightfully so) popular all of a sudden?

I think it's great, and I'm honored to keep being mentioned in the same breath as all of those women. What's making me happiest about it is that for so long, I think there has been an attitude, whether conscious or unconscious, that there's only really room for one or two women to be in ascendancy at one time, and that doesn't seem to be what's happening here. We're being referred to as influencing each other as opposed to crowding each other out--being treated like writers instead of token girls. That's really a big step. But I think that we're at an interesting crossroads for women in general right now, which is certainly contributing to the proliferation and popularity of this sort of writing, which is that this generation of women feel like they can be upfront about their flaws and foibles, that something personal is not going to be seen as somehow speaking for or undermining all women. We're finally getting to be responsible only for ourselves in that way, and refusing to honor judgment from all sides about how "girls are supposed to be." It's about freaking time, too.

7. What's your favorite book/movie/TV show?

I don't really have a favorite book or movie--I have different favorites for different times. But my favorite TV show is Dynasty. I really, really love Dynasty. And my second favorite is The Golden Girls. One day, I will write a PhD thesis on all the different actors that guest starred on Dynasty that also appeared on The Golden Girls, and Camille Paglia will rip her fucking heart out.

8. Most importantly - which do you prefer: cake or pie.

Cake. Definitely cake. Especially cheap supermarket birthday cake with the really gross thick frosting. That's my favorite thing.

Book Review: Everything Is Going To Be Great

2010-08-06T18:32:00.000-04:00

Everything Is Going to Be Great: An Underfunded and Overexposed European Grand Tour
By Rachel Shukert
Harper Perennial
Publication date: July 27, 2010
ISBN: 9780061782350

Rachel Shukert is that friend you wish you had. The one that comes back from an amazing adventure and fills you in on everything, leaving you with a gaping mouth and a desire to travel. That’s exactly what Everything is Going to be Great is – one delicious adventure that’s, thankfully, re-told.

I was introduced to Shukert's work a few years back, when Samir heard about her first book, Have You No Shame, through author Julie Klausner. Convinced I’d like it because I’m Jewish and she’s Jewish (in the words of him “aren’t you required to like one another's writings?”), he bought it for me. I’m glad he did. She’s outrageous, witty, and an extremely talented writer.

So I was especially excited when I heard she had a new book coming out. This book chronicles her European “vacation” (I use that word loosely, as it’s far from a vacation), and all of the strange characters she encounters. Starting in New York, when she’s given the chance to travel to Vienna with the play she’s in (which doesn’t play), she decides the take the plunge and go, hoping to – like every other 20-something - find herself. And try to find herself she does, as she travels from Vienna to Zurich to Amsterdam, and meets an amazing cast of characters, including an old man who believes one can’t be beautiful and Jewish, a number of skinheads, Italians who throw dinner parties and fix teeth, a duo who think they’re vampires, and many, many more – including her now husband. She’s robbed, taken advantage of, yelled at – and yet, she lives through everything. It's insane, it's ghastly, it's amazing. Shukert is incredibly honest about everything, and I truly respect her for that.

Rather than long essays, like her previous book, Everything Is Going To Be Great is one giant story. In the midst of the book are pieces of travel advice (that are not necessarily helpful, but really fantastic), including "When Someone Mistakes You For a Prostitute," "Are You About to Be Sex-Trafficked? A Checklist," and "Another Century in Paradise: Phil Collins and the Dutch: A Survey."See? Fantastic. It's one of the most fun memoirs out there.

The book is often shocking, always hilarious, and incredibly introspective. She’s the kind of writer who makes you feel like a friends; it’s as if you’re not reading her book, but she’s telling it to you over drinks. And, let me say, despite her insane circumstances, everyone should want her as a friend.

*Monday I'm posting an interview I had the pleasure of doing with her, so check back!

Shukert's website
An interview she did with SMITH Magazine

Book Review: The Recipe Club

2010-07-29T07:33:00.000-04:00

The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship
By Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel
Harper
Publication Date: October 15, 2009
ISBN: 9780061992292

Have you ever wondered how childhood relationships form your later years? The Recipe Club discusses that idea through food and friendship.

The Recipe Club is a brilliant book that takes place in the present and past. Told through letters and, later, e-mails, the book follows two women from childhood through adulthood, showing how early decisions can catapult a future.

At the book’s start, Valerie, in her late 30s, e-mails her childhood best friend Lily after over 20 years of no communication. As they try to pick up where they left off, pieces from their past come back to haunt them and they have to decide if a newly reinstated friendship is worth it.

After the decision is made, for the entire middle of the book, their past friendship is played out through letters written back and forth from age 10 through 20. At around age 10, Valerie moves away from her best friend Lily. In order to stay in touch, they exchange letters and recipes that deal with what’s going on with their lives. Their whole friendship is played out through this correspondence, each letter more honest – and vivid as they get older – than the next. From first kisses to applying to college, the girls go through everything together, regardless of the fact that they’re polar opposites. Valerie is the careful, smart one who looks to Lily for boy advice, while Lily is carefree and dramatic, like her theatre-loving mother, one to jump at an opportunity, despite the risks. Every time they start to drift apart, as distance tends to cause this, the two are brought back together. They have a history together, after all.

In the background are their parents – all opposites, and all connected in one way or another. They form the girls to be who they are, and even, in a way, mess them up along the way.

The authors do a wonderful job of letting the characters naturally grow without forcing them. In the ultimate act of “showing, not telling,” the action is mentioned as if the reader was there. It even continues between letters. Things are hinted at, briefly described, as if the reader was part of the story; a fly peering down on their lives.

When the book picks back up at the present, towards the end, the tone shifts as the two girls come to understandings about themselves, and each other. At that point, the book is written as a novel, rather than in letters. This drastic change is important, as it brings the reader up to speed, and lets them in on the book’s climactic moment.

Despite the shift, it goes back to letters after for a wonderfully complete ending. Without saying too much, the book takes the girls from a time when actions had no consequences to the present when every word spoken or unspoken can mean the restart or the end of a friendship.

The Recipe Club is a wonderful, quick read. The writing is great, and definitely takes on not just the age of the girls, but the time period as well (from the 50s through today). For that, I think it was smart to have two different writers, as each gives their own voice to their character (and I’d love to know who wrote each character). Although the big reveal at the end was a bit predictable to me from the beginning, it was still an interesting way to take the story.

The recipes included were delightful – each one graphically done as the girl would have when she sent it (Lily’s recipes had peace signs on a stationary when she encountered her hippie days; Val’s had cutesy drawings and hearts when she had her first kiss, and so on). As a typography lover, this part got me the most.

The Recipe Club is a fantastic, addictive read and a really fun cookbook. The paperback version comes out September 21, 2010, so check it out!

The Recipe Club official website
The Recipe Club blog

Lauren vs. the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

2010-07-28T17:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I finally had the chance to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure! I had tried once before, with my mom and aunt, during the soft opening (the park was letting the first 1,000 people in see the area in advance), but OF COURSE the one day we go was also the day the actors were there.

Annoying.

(No, I didn’t see any of the actors while there – sadly).

So, using our annual passes, mom and I decided to try again. The lines had been horrendous we were hearing, but it was a Tuesday and we figured, if nothing else, we’d be able to see the area.

And see it we did.

Trying to get in when the park first opened was ridiculous. You needed to wait in line just to get into the Harry Potter area – the line wasn’t even for any of the rides! The line went from the Wizarding World, all the way through Jurassic Park, and into the Toon Lagoon. For those who’ve never been, here’s a map.

See? Ridiculous.

So instead of waiting, we decided to go over to Universal Studios, since we hadn’t been to that park since the late 90s. Seriously.

We did a few of the rides, and they were fun enough. ET still haunts me – not because the ride is bad, it’s quite fun, even if it’s outdated and you can barely understand ET telling people to go home at the end (“Lauren” sounded like “Laaannn”) – but because when I was little, my parents nicknamed me ET. According to them, I looked like an alien.

Forever traumatized.

The highlight of Universal had to be Fievel's Playland. When we first moved to Florida, my parents got us annual passes. Fival’s area was the perfect spot for us to cool off – there were structures to climb, and an awesome waterslide to go down for kids. No one really went to it – most families opted for the bigger rides, but Justin and I loved this little area. Anyway, it’s still there, and since there weren’t any kids around, I got to go on the waterslide again. Perfect for 104 degrees.

We also saw the Terminated 3D show (my mom’s favorite – I think she at one time had a think for Arnold), which is incredibly outdated. One of the “new technologies” invented was talking to people THROUGH THE COMPUTER! If only we could do that today!

…

Also, the magic of the Terminator show is slightly dampened when you’re friends with Sarah Conner. Just saying. (Although, it is really cool saying I know not only Sarah Conner, but also Maryann from the Indiana Jones show – yeah, my friend Traci used to play them both before she went off and had a baby.)

Anyway, around 2:30 we made it back to the Wizarding World. It was still extremely crowded, but at least there was no line to get in. And let me say – it really was magical.

My favorite area of the Magic Kingdom is – go figure – Tom Sawyer’s Island. I love being able to explore the areas Huck and Tom frequent. It makes the book more…real, I guess.

I felt the same way with Wizarding World. As soon as you go in, the Hogwarts Express greets you. There’s no platform 9 _ (although I did see the real one back in London – so I guess you could say I DID transport into the magic world!), but a train conductor does stand outside greeting visitors. From there, the park is utterly amazing. The buildings – beautifully built – are all topped with snowy roofs. Everything looks as if it did in the books and movies. It was all real. I got teary eyed. Seriously.

There were lines to get into the shops, but I managed to make it into Honeydukes and Zonkos. My mom – having never read the books – found all of the names strange - “what’s a cauldron cake?” “Why are there so many flavored beans?” “What’s omnoculars?” – but I loved it. Everything is recreated, and quite perfectly. It’s every kid’s – what am I saying, adult’s – dream come true. I especially liked that all of the merchandise looks as if it would in the shops – none of them have Wizarding World or Universal logos.

The owlry was packed, and Olivander’s (where the wand picks you!) had a line almost outside the park, so we skipped those, but we DID wait in line for…butterbeer! Comparatively, it’s quite cheap, only $3.24 ($4.25 if you want it frozen) whereas pumpkin juice, which I didn’t try, is $5.99. Let me say, it’s quite delicious! Foamy as you’d expect, and kind of a mixture of root beer and butterscotch. Really sweet, but perfect when it’s, again, 104 degrees.

Both Hogs Head and the Three Broomsticks were also packed, so I didn’t go there, nor Flourish and Blotts. The castle, in the distance, was AMAZING – just as you’d imagine in. The line for the area’s premiere ride, the Forbidden Journey, was 75 minutes long, so I opted to not go – we can come again, of course, when it’s less crowded. The Flight of the Hufflepuff (the old unicorn kiddie coaster) had a 45 minute wait, so we decided against that as well. (I had also ridden it before, so no big deal on missing it).

Harry’s Dragon Challenge (which was Dueling Dragons – one of my favorite rides) only had a 20 minute wait (!!!), so of course we went. Rather than putting my stuff in the lockers (located inside the train station – really cute), my mom came with me on the line, and then chickened out at the last minute to hold my butterbeer. She hates rollercoasters. While the ride is the same (still awesome), the queue is great, because it’s full of references. Big signs cheer on the triwizard champions (with the exception of Cedric Diggory, which was weird), the car Harry and Ron crashed into the tree is on the side, as is Hagrid’s hut. Inside the cave, you’re greeted by the Goblet of Fire, which is pretty neat to see.

Before leaving, my mom and I watched a performance by the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students. They must have been so hot in their outfits, but the performances were quite good.

As we exited the park, as cheesy as it sounds, everything got a bit less…special. The sun shined, sweat poured down my back, and the crowds were everywhere. All of that I ignored while in the Wizarding World – all of that didn’t matter. Outside, it all came back and the rest of my day was a bit less…magical.

I can’t wait to go back.

Hair Fiasco

2010-07-23T18:29:00.001-04:00

If you've been following my Tweets lately, you know that I recently had a particularly traumatic hair cut. It was bad. No, not bad - horrible. Well, you're in luck, because here's the highly anticipated revealing of my new look.

But first - old me:

That's Samir and I this past April. My hair was past my shoulders, wavy. Now - new me:

Did I want it so short? No.

Did I want bangs going in? No.

Do I kind of look like a Scott Pilgrim character?

Yep.*

Now, here's the story.

Since S and I are hard on money right now, rather than going to my favorite hair salon, I went to the Paul Mitchell school. I've been there before and usually they do a decent job. Plus, I didn't want anything major - just a trim to my shoulders, with some layering. It was going to be $12 - really, I couldn't go wrong.

Yes, yes I could.

The guy cut off WAY too much, leaving my hair much higher than my shoulders. Then, he didn't cut layers - he instead framed my face horribly, so in the end I looked like a 45 year old soccer mom. (Or, a boy. Either or). I wanted youthful, not older (and certainly not male).

After my tears dried, my friend Colure came over to help. She decided that long side bangs may save it. We ran across the street to a fancy hair salon for just that. Sadly, the framing was too choppy, so I couldn't get long side bangs - instead, I wound up with real, hardcore bangs. And even though I wasn't prepared for them, they DID make me look younger. And I was kind of excited about trying them out. (And, it was only $7!)

Yesterday was hard, but today, after washing out all of the hair salon's products, I got the hang of it. I messed my hair up, so it looks more rough, less soccer mom, and played with my natural texture (any hair product suggestions will be very helpful.) I actually kind of like the bangs.

Now, I can't say I quite love my haircut yet, but I'm getting used to it. I won't wear a paper bag over my head until it grows up, and I certainly won't go to the school again.

But hopefully, when it starts to grow out a bit, i'll be more comfortable.

Baby steps. Baby steps.

* - I really like the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, so this is actually okay!