I'm putting together a new list. It's going to be a bit different this time. I'd like to link to/embed the book trailers anyone has for upcoming releases. I figure I'll do these every so-often, to keep up with with new books.
Right now the only one I have is the following.
1. Shiver By Maggie Stiefvater
2. Devil's Kiss By Sarwat Chadda
3. Another Faust By Daniel and Dina Nayeri
4. Beautiful Creatures By Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
5. When Mike Kissed Emma By Christina Marciniak
6. So Punk Rock: And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother By Micol & David Ostow
7. Under My Skin By Judith Graves
So comment with links to any other book trailers you know of. My only stipulations are a) It muyst be for a YA Book and b)It must not have come out yet (if it comes out tomorrow, that's fine).
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I Can't Write Book Reviews
This isn't a book review. Let's get that stated right off the bat. Book reviews require plot summaries and a semi-organized layout of different aspects of the book being reviewed. This is more off the cuff.
I just finished reading Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti. It came out earlier this month and has been on my Amazon Wishlist since I stumbled across her blog on LiveJournal a few months ago. Since this not a book review, I should let you know that more information on Waiting for You is available here.
I usually avoid books where the main character is suffering from some sort of mild or severe mental illness, be it depression, attention deficit disorder, anxiety disorder or any other thing that qualifies a person as "messed up." When I read books with these kinds of characters, I need the voice and the experience to be authentic. Maybe it's just the books I happen to have read, but there's always something that seems just slightly off.
Usually it's the amount of focus that's put on whatever disorder the character suffers from. A lot of characters seemed defined by what makes them messed up. They exhibit symptoms constantly and always have their medical problems on their minds. As far as my experience goes, this just isn't authentic.
The lack of focus on Marisa's anxiety disorder, is what makes her so relatable for me. She mentions her initial symptoms and past treatment at the begining of the novel. During the middle of the book there are a few brief mentions of things a therapist said and there are times when you can subtly see the anxiety cause her to do things that aren't typical. Everything creeps up slowly and stays in the background. Marisa is much more focused on issues with her boyfriend, changes in her friendship with Sterling and figuring out her relationship with Nash.
And Marisa does hit a low point with her anxiety. However, even as Marisa hit her "rock bottom" she is realizing what's going wrong and taking the actions to fix it. She doesn't wallow in any sort of self despair, and the reader doesn't have to muddle through any flowy, metaphor-ridden passages about how crappy Marisa is feeling.
In short, this is a book with a messed character, not a book about a character being messed up. I recommend Waiting for You to anyone who is looking for a book with a flawed character who is not defined by her flaws. I have read Colasanti's first novel, When it Happens which I enjoyed. I also have copy of her second novel, Take Me There sitting in my room. I will definitely be getting around to that book sooner.
*Side note: I love the cover's of all three of Susane Colasanti's books, with their hidden faces
What Do You Think?: What books do you think handle this kind of subject with well-developed characters? While also being good reads, of course.
I just finished reading Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti. It came out earlier this month and has been on my Amazon Wishlist since I stumbled across her blog on LiveJournal a few months ago. Since this not a book review, I should let you know that more information on Waiting for You is available here.
I usually avoid books where the main character is suffering from some sort of mild or severe mental illness, be it depression, attention deficit disorder, anxiety disorder or any other thing that qualifies a person as "messed up." When I read books with these kinds of characters, I need the voice and the experience to be authentic. Maybe it's just the books I happen to have read, but there's always something that seems just slightly off.
Usually it's the amount of focus that's put on whatever disorder the character suffers from. A lot of characters seemed defined by what makes them messed up. They exhibit symptoms constantly and always have their medical problems on their minds. As far as my experience goes, this just isn't authentic.
The lack of focus on Marisa's anxiety disorder, is what makes her so relatable for me. She mentions her initial symptoms and past treatment at the begining of the novel. During the middle of the book there are a few brief mentions of things a therapist said and there are times when you can subtly see the anxiety cause her to do things that aren't typical. Everything creeps up slowly and stays in the background. Marisa is much more focused on issues with her boyfriend, changes in her friendship with Sterling and figuring out her relationship with Nash.
And Marisa does hit a low point with her anxiety. However, even as Marisa hit her "rock bottom" she is realizing what's going wrong and taking the actions to fix it. She doesn't wallow in any sort of self despair, and the reader doesn't have to muddle through any flowy, metaphor-ridden passages about how crappy Marisa is feeling.
In short, this is a book with a messed character, not a book about a character being messed up. I recommend Waiting for You to anyone who is looking for a book with a flawed character who is not defined by her flaws. I have read Colasanti's first novel, When it Happens which I enjoyed. I also have copy of her second novel, Take Me There sitting in my room. I will definitely be getting around to that book sooner.
*Side note: I love the cover's of all three of Susane Colasanti's books, with their hidden faces
What Do You Think?: What books do you think handle this kind of subject with well-developed characters? While also being good reads, of course.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Indie Bookstores
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