Writer Quirk

Quirk Review: Mastiff (Beka Cooper #3) by Tamora Pierce

2012-02-18T17:14:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce's fans exactly what they want—a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall's Lower City—while offering plenty of appeal for new readers as well.

Beka and her friends will face their greatest and most important challenge ever when the young heir to the kingdom vanishes. They will be sent out of Corus on a trail that appears and disappears, following a twisting road throughout Tortall. It will be her greatest Hunt—if she can survive the very powerful people who do not want her to succeed in her goal.

PREFACE:

Beka Cooper is one of my favorite Pierce characters so of course I was going to finish this series by reading the final installment, Mastiff. But was it a fitting end for the legend that is Beka Cooper?

Mostly.

WRITING:

As I've said in my reviews for Terrier and Bloodhound, the writing in this series has been some of my favorite. While I did think the writing was slightly less vivid this go around, it was still a well-written story. I think the disconnect came from the story itself, not the words chosen to tell it, but there was a lack of spark that I missed from the previous books.

SETTING:

This novel was kind of like the equivilent of the fantasy road trip novel. The characters were traveling all over the kingdom, pursuing a stolen boy, and while I like in Pierce's novels to really dig in to one place, I liked the forward motion the traveling provided in this one. We get to experience a wide range of settings that really make Tortall seem more real and developed. The "rest of the kingdom" is no longer a vague thing; it has shape and substance and is inhabited by different kinds of people. The traveling also kept Beka constantly on duty, and I love her best when she is being the tenacious Dog that she is.

CHARACTERS:

Beka was a little different in this book, and I feel Pierce may have been trying to express something that didn't quite come across as clear as it should have. At the beginning Mastiff, Beka has been in a serious relationship with a guy we find out is not that great, and this is about three years after the end of the last book. Beka seems to have become complacent, especially in the romance area, and all that tenacious fire that was her trademark seems gone. It is only as the story gets going and the hunt begins that Beka returns to herself as I knew and loved her.

I think perhaps Pierce was attempting to show that Beka had grown up. After all, she was no longer the young adult from Terrier, she was a woman with years of guard experience. She would have changed, and I think that was what Pierce was getting at. However, the allowing of an unworthy man in her life seemed to be too out of character for Beka. It would have been one thing for her to date him, see him as he really was, and drop him, as many readers I think would have expected her to do, but that wasn't the case. Beka had stayed with him despite his faults, faults that before, Beka would have not put up with.

When it comes to all the other characters, I enjoyed the King, Queen, and Prince, as well as the variety of mages, nobles, slaves, and common folk that appear all over the place. It was nice to see more of Sabine and Tunstall together, and I liked Farmer at first, but by the end, he was one of my favorites. Pounce and Achoo were great as always. But I did sorely miss the other great characters from Beka's crew, especially Goodwin and Rosto.

DOWNSIDE:

When it was said and done, I liked this novel, but there was one major problem I had within the story and another that concerns the entire series.

The first problem is a pretty big spoiler, so I'm going to keep it simple and short and just say I was completely thrown out of the story at one point because there is such a severe out of character event that takes place. I couldn't go along with what the book was telling me was true because it felt utterly wrong and contrived and in the resulting scenes after it occurred, I actually imagined the characters knew I was there and were acting things out for me, and badly. If you read the book, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, well, I can say I'd heard something about it before I read it and still couldn't believe it when it happened.

The second problem was that, despite liking the ending of this book, the whole of Beka's story feels incomplete. I saw a lot of complaints that the crew in Corus is left totally behind (having only really been included in Terrier), which after setting up such great characters leaves the reader wondering what the point was of that. I have to agree. I think there should have been another story between Bloodhound and Mastiff that let us see those characters and where their lives were headed, let Beka have another mystery on her home turf, let us see her meeting the one guy she gets with and why she gets with him in the first place. I honestly thought Beka was going to give Rosto a chance at some point, but I never got to even see her turn him down one final time.

I'm not fan-girling this and just wanting there to be more in a series about a character I loved. I understand that authors don't always have enough plots or ideas to write a gazillion books about a certain character. But I really feel that in this case, Pierce abandoned the foundation of the series. It was fun to go with Beka on adventures, but Beka was who she was because of the work she did at home. Like many readers, I felt I had missed something when starting Mastiff, and because we never got to see Beka in that setting with those original characters again, the conclusion of the series felt ultimately unsatisfying.

COOL STUFF:

One thing this book had that the two previous did not was magic. There was magic all over this one, and that being one of my favorite parts of Pierce's Tortall world, I loved it. There were also more allusions to things that happen in other books, such as wild magic, and anything that connects this story with the others set in Tortall was something I liked seeing. And when it came to connections, I liked what happened at the very end of the novel, going back to George Cooper, and seeing things from that side of the timeline, as well as that perspective (as we've only had Alanna's before).

The other great aspect that I was truly happy with was the outcome of Beka's work in the novel and how things end up for her personally. I felt much as I had when Alanna's story ended, that she got everything I could have wanted for her. While it didn't happen as I originally had imagined it would, I thought the way Pierce worked everything out was better than my expectations.

VERDICT:

While this final installment has a glaring flaw and the overall set up of the series dims its awesomeness, Mastiff was still a pretty good novel. There were parts that I truly loved and lots of action to enjoy, with loads of magic for those that have been missing it from this series. While the whole thing may not be how I or other readers would have wanted it, I was pleased with the outcome for Beka herself and am glad that Pierce created another amazing heroine.

Quirk Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-02-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

PREFACE:

I attempted to read a John Green book once. I didn't finish it. I also didn't really want to read this book at first, because of all the "It's so sad!" comments I'd seen. I don't do sad. I don't like to cry any more than my already depressed-self does. But there was this inescapable feeling every time I thought of the book or saw it in a store. That feeling was telling me I had to read it, that there was something special just beyond the simple (yet pretty) cover and Green's illegible autograph. So I did. But did I, like the legions before me, love it?

I do.

WRITING:

While this book is difficult to review, this review was one of the easiest for me to write. I chalk that up to how real this novel feels. Real. That is the word of the day for this review. I'll be saying it a lot, so bear with me.

Part of what made it feel so real was Hazel's voice. She has the sense of humor, the irreverence, the making a joke out of anything, of teens and people I know. The writing was real in the sense that, how people talk wasn't tidied up to be how people talk in a novel. It was awkward, the thoughts harsh and ugly and true and beautiful and hopeful all at the same time. So basically, the writing felt real because it felt true; true to the characters, true to the story, true to life.

And if that's not enough, I wanted to quote more passages of this book than any other novel I've ever read.

SETTING:

Green captures life in every bit of this novel, including the settings, which range from a church basement, family homes, Amsterdam, hospitals, etc. These places felt what I imagined (and know) them to feel like. Traveling to new places seems magical, especially in the company of someone you love. Hospitals feel alien and bleak; homes can be havens or prisons. Life, plain and simple. No more, no less.

CHARACTERS:

Here is the most difficult part for me to discuss because throughout the book, I imagined I was reading an autobiography, not a novel in first person. Hazel Grace Lancaster wasn't the protagonist, but the Anne Frank of cancer.

Now, I know she, Hazel, is a character, but she is closer to my heart than that. Maybe it's because I enjoyed and understood her thoughts and personality, how she was jaded and sensitive, caring and distant, rational and fangirly, in other words, the giant mix of contradictions that makes up myself and every other person on this planet. I think I identified with her in that way, in not knowing how to feel, in feeling terrible and feeling happy so closely to one another, in not having hope then watching hope walk in the door to stare you in the face until you blink. I've felt that. I don't have a terminal disease, though I do have a lifelong one (severe depression and self-harm tendencies).

So for me, Hazel, although she is just a character in this novel, was real to my spirit. I was glad when she was happy and understanding when she lashed out. I knew it was wrong for her to lash out, but I also knew it was what I would have done, what I have done.

Augustus was another story, because he didn't feel real to me until the end, and only then, looking back, did I see that he, too, was like me, in his posturing and musings and his love for Hazel. He was an imperfect character, but an important one, because he was another side to the suffering and to the hope. He had insecurities that Hazel didn't, and I liked that. He was also a little crazy, doing things that I only wish I would be brave and bold enough to do.

I also thoroughly enjoyed Isaac and Hazel's parents. Isaac, in particular, felt extremely real because while he seemed to have the least philosophical view of his ailments, he also had the most hope, if not for himself at least for the existence of something amazing, like true love. I feel that I usually look at life the same way, cursing my misfortune then getting over it, making the best out of it, like Isaac.

As for Hazel's parents, I liked their reactions to everything. Again, they felt realistic. And even though I didn't particularly like him, Van Houten was also realistic, because I've seen people make a mess of themselves and become something intolerable because of their own suffering. It sucks to be around it, but you can't hate them for it, no matter if they deserve it.

COOL STUFF:

It feels trite to call anything in this book cool, but that's the heading for this section, so I'm not going to change it.

The best thing about this book is how it captures the complexity, the simplicity, the high and lows and the in-betweens of life, death, suffering, and joy. That's why it felt real, because I could identify with all those emotions each time they were presented, even though I haven't had the same life as any of the characters.

Plus, compared to what I normally read, the realism of the book was extremely refreshing. Despite the sadness and the roller coaster of events, I didn't cry, because overall it wasn't really sad so much as true and hopeful. I know I will cry when similar things as happen in the book happen to me, when I lose a loved one or break down because of stress or circumstances, but this book is not a thing to be sad over. It felt like a triumph, the story within proof that people have meaning and are important and are worth time and effort and deserving of love. That is not a sad thing.

VERDICT:

I don't want to just say that I love The Fault in Our Stars because I have said that already, but it's not enough. This book is different in how it makes me feel than almost any other novel I've ever read. It means something to me, reaches me on a different spectrum, and I will forever be grateful that I read it and got to experience it. I will say that Green is brilliant for this novel that didn't feel at all like a novel. I recommend it to anyone and everyone who is presently, or will later be, alive.

Quirk Review: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

2012-02-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

PREFACE:

Despite Jennifer Lynn Barnes having written several books, none had quite caught my attention like Every Other Day. I love me a book with mystery, action, and a protagonist that is not-quite-normal. So beyond the premise, what did I think of my first Barnes novel?

I thought it was killer. (Pun intended. ^_^)

WRITING:

The writing was, at the very beginning, a little difficult to get into because you are entering the world of an unusual protagonist who deals with some extremely unusual things. But once you understand where Kali, the heroine, is coming from, the writing flows nicely and fits with her character. It is sometimes stark and blunt, but that's how Kali sees things, and I enjoyed it. There were a few spots where Kali's descriptions seemed a little adult or technical, but I had to remind myself that she was the daughter of a university scientist with a knack for knowing a lot about beasties and weapons, so that really wasn't a stretch.

An additional bonus was the amount of humor in the book. Barnes did a really good job of crafting the perfect snark with Kali's thoughts and words. I also enjoyed the back and forth between Kali and her friends. This would have been a good book without the humor, but having it made the book awesome.

SETTING:

The general setting for this book is suburban college town. You get that feeling when Kali is roaming the streets, is at school, or is visiting her dad at his work. But there are several action scenes where the specific settings, an ice rink, a dried-up water park, a secret facility, are painted with Kali's stark observations. I liked that they were shown this way because it was not only consistent with Kali's character, but it also gave the settings a certain tone that added to the action and mystery in the story. Plus, I had no trouble picturing things for myself.

CHARACTERS:

I liked Kali right off the bat. She is definitely a little more than messed up, what with her every-other-dayness and her mostly absent father. She feels these things but ignores them for the sake of her own safety and so that she can do what needs to do when she's not exactly human. She does grow as the novel progresses, and I loved watching that. I found her to be interesting and multifaceted, part tough-as-nails killer and part good-hearted teenage girl.

I also fell head over heels for Skylar the moment she opened her mouth on the page. I heart her so much, and I just....can't even...there at the very end....Suffice it to say she was awesome and I loved her.

When it comes to Kali's other friends, I really liked Bethany and her progression. Elliot was alright, but I did like him and Skylar's other brothers (that part was just really fun when they kept popping up). The other people we meet early on but don't see much of later I kind of hope will come into play in a later installment (though I haven't seen yet if there will be one, even though there MUST BE ANOTHER BOOK).

The bad guys were pretty bad, and I was a little surprised at what happened. Makes me wonder about what could possibly happen in the future. Also, Zev. Yeah, I really want to know more about him. And that thing at the end with him and Reid and Kali....THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER BOOK!

COOL STUFF:

I'm a girl who loves action. I like fast paced chases, fighting, and the like, as long as it is on the level with the characters (not the grand battles and wars that are seen from a distance). This book gave me all I could ask for and more. I was never bored and always excited when something even crazier than the last thing happened.

That was another awesome aspect of this novel, that when you thought things weren't going to get weirder or more out-there, they did. The twists and turns kept coming, and like I said before, LOVE LOVE LOVE. There was such originality when it came to how Barnes used the creatures and it was cool how she re-imagined our world.

And then the ending. The letter. O_O and V_V and ^_^

VERDICT:

Every Other Day won me over quickly and I will forever be a fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes because of this book. It was fun, fast, and ferocious, full of action, secrets, and an original take on our world. While this story does work as a standalone, I am hoping with all my might that Barnes decides to and is able to write another book featuring Kali and Co. It will be an instant buy if (when, WHEN!) it happens.

Quirk Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor

2012-02-08T10:00:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

PREFACE:

Like everyone in the YA world, I'd heard lots of great things about Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone. However, I was hesitant of the possibility of this book being a little too out-there for me. But when I got the chance to read it, I couldn't pass it up. So did Taylor's strange novel win me over?

Sort-of.

WRITING:

From the beginning it is clear that this novel is well-crafted, the words and sentences forming to create a rich atmosphere that set the tone for the story. There were times it felt a bit overdone, especially later on as romance gets involved, but overall the writing was vivid and pretty and made things easily imaginable.

SETTING:

The original setting for the story is Prague, but it is not the only setting by far. Taylor does well with all of the descriptions, whether they are of this world or another. The atmosphere felt right for each location, no matter how different, and I could picture them all easily.

CHARACTERS:

At first, I liked Karou. I thought she was interesting and flawed and a little broken. As things continued, I still liked her, but when it came right down to it, I couldn't really relate or connect to her. She does some pretty awesome things, but there was a point where she started to feel too jaded or too unyielding in her emotions and it just turned me off. After the big reveal, she seemed to accept things too easily, then after the even bigger reveal, it was another emotional reversal.

Akiva was almost the opposite, starting out being the cold, dead feeling one who became overly emotional. I mean, I understood it all once it was explained, but the mood swings made things feel off.

When it came to most of the other characters, there was a two-dimensional feel to them. I don't think they were actually two-dimensional; I think it came from them being so stuck in their ways and views that it felt like there was nothing else to their characters. Thankfully, they weren't all that way. Brimstone ended up being a nice surprise, and I liked how Madrigal's sister turns out, even if I didn't like her specifically. I also thoroughly enjoyed Karou's human friend, Zuzanna, and liked every scene she turned up in.

DOWNSIDE:

While in the end I found this story quite interesting, there were two main issues I had with it. The first was the wishy-washy POV. It was definitely told in third person, but it wasn't limited to just one character at a time. We'd be seeing things in third person from Karou's point of view, then in the next sentence it would be like we were seeing things from Akiva's side. It confused me quite a bit and I wish the POV had been a more rigid or had had clear divisions when it shifted.

The second thing only added to the confusion, and that was the jumping between past and present and the overlapping of the events being recounted. I didn't mind the sort-of dual-narrative going on, or the fact that there were flashbacks, but we would be in a flashback that would flash-forward, then flashback again, all without returning to the present day. And because at those points we didn't have the whole story yet, it was very easy to get lost in the timeline.

Then there was the fact that the last major chunk of the book is spent on the story that happened in the past, which completely disconnected me from the original story. While it was all necessary, and I actually enjoyed that bit more than the rest, how everything was laid out just didn't work for me.

There was also a lot of overlapping, as in, you would read the same sentence more than once because you were getting a continuation of a previously visited event from a different perspective. While it was cool at first, eventually it becomes tiring because, again, things were just all over the place, making the story feel jagged. I get why the book was pieced together this way (because you learn a little bit here, then there, and eventually you get the big picture) but it pulled me out of the narrative repeatedly and I sometimes had a difficult time returning to it.

COOL STUFF:

There were a lot of interesting things about Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The one that stood out for me most was the world Karou called Elsewhere and the mythology of the creatures that lived there. I love lore and mythologies so this part was right up my alley. Also, the two races having distinct histories and beliefs about things was a nice touch.

As I mentioned above, the story told in flashbacks (or memories, as it were) was my favorite. While I'm not big on epic romances, there was a sweeping quality to it and with Taylor's writing, it was easy to get caught up in it all. I also liked all the action and intrigue that came from that narrative.

Lastly, the big reveals really capped off the novel. Finally finding out how things happened and then the aftermath of earlier events was a great way to end it. It makes me curious to see exactly what Taylor could have up her sleeve for the next book because after all the crazy stuff in this one, I can't begin to fathom how off-the-wall it would have to be to live up to the wild ride that this book is.

VERDICT:

While Daughter of Smoke and Bone is definitely different from anything I've read before, the writing and strange story is engaging enough to keep the pages turning. As for myself, I only truly liked part of the book as the problems with the story's structure and my disconnection from the main character kept me from being fully engrossed. Even so, Laini Taylor is a talented writer and storyteller, and most likely I will pick up the sequel.

Quirk Review: The Revenant by Sonia Gensler

2012-02-05T00:09:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.

Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.

Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. . . .

PREFACE:

I had the great pleasure of hearing Sonia Gensler speak at the Southern Festival of Books in October of 2011. I hadn't previously heard of her or her debut, The Revenant, but after attending her panel and meeting her, The Revenant immediately went on my TBR list. I was taken by Gensler and loved hearing her speak about her story and how she came up with and researched it. But did this historical YA novel live up to Gensler herself?

Absolutely.

WRITING:

This YA novel being set in the late 1800's, I expected it to sound, well, historical. But what I loved about it was that since it was from the main character, Willie's, perspective, it was like I was reading her journal and that made the whole novel feel almost real and like it was possible. There were a few spots where the dialogue seemed overly wrought to have that historical sound, but those were few and far between. The majority of the writing had the exact right tone and was crafted nicely and didn't get in the way of the story it was telling.

SETTING:

Gensler did a good job giving the locations in the story a nice presence. I could picture the rumbling train, the little town, the girls' school, the fancy house, and the farm in Tennessee easily. The descriptions of the places lent to me being so drawn into the novel, which made the reading that much richer.

CHARACTERS:

Willie, the protagonist, was a great character. I say that because she wasn't perfect and I was still rooting for her throughout the book. She had a good heart but made a lot of mistakes, and even then her motives were understandable. I could definitely relate to her struggle between her duties to her family and her dream of having her own life. That connection made Willie feel that much more real to me and had me hanging on the pages waiting to see what would happen to her. I also enjoyed the substantial character growth Willie experiences and how it affected her actions, especially at the end.

As far as swoony love interests go, at first I wasn't really taken with Eli Sevenstar. But as things go along, you see how conflicted, passionate, and kind he is, and I came to like him. And Eli at the end was definitely your happily-ever-after kind of guy.

The other Native American characters, mainly the senior girls Willie teaches at the school, grow as characters also, and that was something you don't usually expect from secondary players. They, along with the main adult characters, Miss Crenshaw and Miss Adair, all seem like real people that could have existed in history without being repetitive or stereotypical. Pretty much all of the supporting characters are fleshed out and go through their own arcs, however small.

Willie's mother, step-father, and siblings appear late in the novel, and you expect them to be a certain way based on Willie's descriptions and personal opinions of them early on in the story. But here it becomes clear that because of the way Willie perceives herself and the world in the beginning, by the end we see that Willie has a slight case of being an unreliable narrator, and it works well. It just added another layer to the story and made it that much more satisfying.

COOL STUFF:

There were several aspects about this book that made it jump from a good historical YA to a great novel. The first is the supernatural aspect. Again, this story read like it could have been real, and that included all the paranormal occurrences. I liked this aspect because it was unclear in the beginning of the story if there really was a supernatural element or if the residents of the school were merely superstitious. That part gets cleared up about a third of the way in and it just keeps getting more intriguing from there.

Speaking of thirds, the book is separated into three parts, each of them titled with something that describes Willie at that point in the story. Suffice it to say that when I got to the third part, I was thinking Sonia Gensler, you clever woman, you.

Even before getting to that last section, I had figured out how crafty Gensler is as a storyteller. This craftiness is the cause of my absolute favorite aspect of this novel, which is that when I expected it to zig, it zagged. I thought I had things pretty well figured out, but then something would be revealed and I was impressed every time because it all worked in the story but was completely not what I had anticipated. Things kept going that way and I was getting bluffed all over the place and I loved every second of it.

VERDICT:

The Revenant is a great YA historical novel that is so much more. It has so many things that keep you reading: the headstrong protagonist who is in over her head, the mystery of a girl's death, the possible haunting of the Cherokee girls' school, the twists and turns that keep you guessing. All of these aspects combine to craft an engrossing story and satisfying read that you will return to again and again. As a reader, I'm generally hesitant of books outside my usual modern-day paranormal classification, but after this amazing book, anything Sonia Gensler writes will be something I read.

Giveaway Highlight: Book Nerd Reviews

2012-02-02T18:26:00.002-06:00

Melissa over at Book Nerd Reviews is giving away a highly anticipated sequel to one lucky winner!

Giveaway is international and ends February 29th!

Enter HERE!

Writer Quirk Birthday Giveaway Winners!

2012-02-01T22:13:00.000-06:00

The Writer Quirk Birthday Giveaway is officially over!
I was really pleased with Rafflecopter (made everything SUPER simple) and I hope all of you who entered found it easy as well. Now on to the good part!

The four lucky quirks (and what they won) are:

Breila M. (YA Fey/Fantasy)

Kelli C. (YA Paranormal)

Lisa J. (YA Contemporary)

Kristina S. (YA Vampire)

Congratulations winners!

WINNERS:

Notification emails have been sent so please check your inbox/junk folder.
Please respond within seven days with a valid mailing address and I will ship your prize as soon as possible.
Should anyone not respond within the allotted time, another winner for the unclaimed prize pack will be chosen.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Quirk Review: Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

2012-01-31T21:53:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing.

So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

And then ditched her.

PREFACE:

I'd seen people online mention a funny book called Ditched, the debut YA novel by author Robin Mellom. It being contemporary (you know me) I didn't wonder about it much. At some point I began following Mellom on Twitter and clicked a link that took me to an excerpt of the book (read the Prologue and Chapter 1 for yourself HERE). So what did I think?

The title of the book may be Ditched, but after reading the preview, I was hooked.

WRITING:

The first thing that grabs you about Ditched is the humor. I loved how Mellom wrote this. Justina, the protagonist, has such a clear voice and quirky personality and that made things feel both honest and enjoyable. Everything about the writing from the word choice to the tone to the structure was pitch perfect. I giggled and chuckled all over the place. Even the chapter titles were humorous.

A unique thing about this book is that it switched back and forth from the present - Justina at a 7-Eleven - to flashbacks of her prom night the evening before. Usually flashbacks are not that great, but the back and forth was fun. Justina recalling her disastrous evening had its own humor while her flashbacks felt like you were getting the clues to a (funny) mystery. Coupled with the great writing, this made the book not only easy to read, but also fun. I was caught up in Justina's tale of a prom gone so-very wrong and loving every minute of it.

SETTING:

While this story does have a traditional setting, it didn't really play so much a part of the story other than as acting as the backdrop to the crazy events of Justina's prom. But the feeling the setting exudes overall is a familiar one. Ever see the movie Pretty in Pink? What about Sixteen Candles? This book has the atmosphere that those movies did, and its a good thing. It makes the book comfortable but not cheesy.

The town and the locations the visited or mentioned are somewhat referential to the characters. For instance, Justina's prom takes place a fancy hotel, then later, she goes to two different parties at two much-less-fancy hotels. The neighborhoods go from the rich kind to the not-so-rich kind. There is a fast food joint, a novelty shop, and a convenience store. There is also the rival high school, which is noted for being less classy than the one Justina attends. The settings are varied and multiple, like the characters, and offer up the right stages for the hijinks occurring in the story.

CHARACTERS:

Justina is both your typical high school girl and not your typical protagonist. She has a lot of quirks, some from nature, some nurtured, but she also cares about things that other girls care about, even if she herself doesn't realize it. Her voice is very distinct and has the kind of pacing and humor I see in real life. I loved that she had an "assumption addiction" and how she came to understand that she was part of her own problem and got in her own way.

Ian, Justina's friend and prom date, was a pretty good character. We see him mostly in flashbacks but I liked what I saw. He appreciated Justina's quirks and was not judgmental of her. To be honest, he was almost too nice. I think that was his one flaw, being too good. It actually plays a part in the story, so that was interesting.

The rest of the characters include a wide variety of people, and they felt like the people you would know in high school. They also fit that John Hughes theme, but many of them also had growth and progression in the story, so it was cool to see that from side characters.

DOWNSIDE:

This was a book I had so much fun reading and I really had no qualms with it until the very end. I felt like the resolution was so quick and a little too easy for Justina. Yes, she did apologize, but all was forgiven too readily and I felt like it would have been a little more satisfying if there had been just a tad bit of doubt about that outcome. There was doubt for Justina, but not for the reader.

COOL STUFF:

Not only is this a fun and crazy story, but the presentation is pretty cool too. We don't just figure out what happened randomly, we follow Justina's night by running down the list of her stains and injuries, which I thought was a neat way to go about things. There were also pictures to illustrate throughout the chapters, which was an interesting touch.

I also enjoyed the two main adult characters in the story, Gilda and Donna. They were awesome. I loved their perspectives on Justina's situation and their insight. They added that voice of reason and them being adults gave their advice credibility.

Lastly, I liked that the romance in this story is subtle. It's a story about two friends falling for each other in the small moments, the unexpected moments. I loved how that's where you saw it happen instead of the whole book being about their relationship. I mean, it kind of all was about their relationship, but in a roundabout way through Justina's wild night.

VERDICT:

This book is a romantic puzzle with the pieces scattered throughout the snarky-fun heroine's disastrous prom night. Figuring it out is a fun ride that also has a lot of heart. While it will remind readers of some of John Hughes' best, Ditched: A Love Story is a unique contemporary that will keep you reading, imagining the scenes as easily as if they were on film, and anticipating that feel-good happy ending.

Quirk Review: Carrier of the Mark (Carrier Trilogy #1) by Leigh Fallon

2012-01-22T20:48:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

From the moment she sets foot at her new school in Ireland, Megan is inexplicably drawn to the darkly handsome Adam DeRis. But Megan soon discovers that her feelings for Adam are tied to a supernatural fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that unites them could be their ultimate destruction.

PREFACE:

I had heard of this book, but didn't know much about it. As I was reading up on it, I saw that there were several reviews that were polar opposites of each other, giving the book some giant support and some giant detraction. Curious, I went and got myself a copy from the local bookstore with reasonable expectations of an interesting story. It is a paranormal set in Ireland, after all, not to mention the Twilight comparisons I had seen. I had to find out for myself. So what did I find?

Nothing I can sum up in a pithy sentence.

WRITING:

From the beginning of the novel, the writing bothered me. I didn't like the prologue as it just seemed to say, "There's excitement later, but you'll have to wait!" while the first chapter was rather ho-hum, gently leading us into the world of the main character, Megan.

To me, everything about the writing felt thin. The descriptions were descriptions, but they were thin descriptions. Megan's thoughts were teenage thoughts, but they were thin. The tension was thinnest of all. That probably is where a lot of the problem lies because the writing itself, the words chosen, their placement, can add tension to a story, but that didn't happen nearly at all here.

One thing I'd heard about this book was that it contained info-dumps, and while this is true, they didn't necessarily bother me on a presentation level. It was more I didn't fancy the amount of information I was getting at once because it got confusing real quick. I also felt that some of the things could have been shown rather than told, but I also realized that showing some things, like the bad guys interacting with the characters, would have affected the plot (which had it's own problems), so on a level I understood why it happened the way it did.

But my least favorite thing was the dialogue. It was stiff and mostly cheesy, especially between Megan and her dad and Megan and Adam. Much that was spoken was unnecessary, and this trend carried over a bit into the rest of the writing as well. I was reminded over and over again of Hitchcock's saying, "Drama is life with the boring parts left out." The writing could have definitely been tighter and it would have made it less awkward to read. I will say that toward the end the writing flowed better and I stopped noticing any awkwardness, so this shows potential and, hopefully, progression.

SETTING:

I love Ireland. I have works-in-progress set there, and it is one of my dreams to visit the Emerald Isle someday. So this being set in Ireland was a plus for me until I really got into the book. Unfortunately, there are very few times where Ireland is actually used to give the book atmosphere. Most of the time, the story could be set anywhere with a coastline. I did like that the mythology of the place was pulled into the story, so that was nice, but I felt like so much more could have been done with it.

CHARACTERS:

Megan was not my favorite. Ho-hum is what I felt toward her. I don't really know anything about her personality that doesn't have to do with what happened in the book. I can tell you she missed her mom, was glad to stay in one place for a while, and wore those red Converse into the ground and that's basically what I know about Megan. (Note: It was only because of the copious mentions of the red Converse that I noticed they were not mentioned at all toward the end of the book. So maybe she doesn't like them as much as I thought.)

As for the DeRis clan, I wasn't much impressed with them either. While none of them were horrible, none of them felt that fleshed out. Again, there is that word, thin, permeating this book. I felt like if their personalities had been somehow tied to their abilities it would have made them more interesting, but really they were just teenagers that had an unusual history and life, and that didn't make them, as individuals, all that interesting. There needed to be some kind of emotion, some tension, that was just lacking. At least one of them had some anger over their situation, but it was tamped down and resolved too quickly, making it seem shallow.

The DeRis' guardian, Fionn, had potential but also fell flat. He had quite the interesting back story that tied in to his involvement with the DeRis' parents, but again, little to no personality. He was stern where he was expected to be stern, and then felt a little too acquiescent the rest of the time. I understood his motives, but still, it all lacked tension.

The character I most liked was Megan's friend Catilyn. I thought she was warm and sweet, even if the dialogue made her feel a little like a character in Leave It To Beaver. The other friends were good as well, mostly because they felt like they could be real people. They had the variances in personality and temperament that normal people have and unfortunately, that made the more important characters feel that much flatter.

DOWNSIDE:

Now, if you've read any of the negative reviews of this book, many will mention Twilight, which, to be honest, is a fair comparison. This book starts out very formulaic and almost seems beat by beat like Twilight, right down to the strange siblings, but that changes about a third of the way into the story.

What Carrier doesn't have that Twilight did was atmosphere and angst. Because of Bella Swan's bitterness at the town of Forks, because she hated it so much that she incessantly described it, from the outdoors to the people to the buildings, I could picture it so clearly and could even feel what it was like to be surrounded by that constant gloom and overabundant greenery. There was little of that kind of atmosphere in this book. Like I said above, this story could have been set almost anywhere. There were mentions of gray skies and rain, but because Megan didn't have any particular feelings about it, because Ireland didn't make her feel anything special, good or bad, the atmosphere was missing, making the novel itself feel, again, thin.

Speaking of feelings, Bella Swan, rational or not, had a lot of angst when she moved to Forks. Megan Rosenburg, other than hoping she'll actually get to stay in one place for a while, does not. Her mom died a long time ago, so she's pretty settled with that. She makes friends quickly, but unlike Bella, she actually likes them, so there is no internal angst-thoughts about them. There is no tension. The only tension is from Megan seeing Adam and wondering about him. Now, I could only take so much of Bella's angst, but her story made me feel something while Megan's left me feeling...not a lot.

Another Twilight comparison comes from the insta-love factor. While Edward and Bella may not have known a whole lot about one another before becoming obsessed with each other, they did have a unifying trait - they were both outsiders. Neither of them felt comfortable being themselves. Megan and Adam do not share this trait because while Adam is sort of on the outskirts of high school society, Megan finds acceptance quickly and easily. So when Megan and Adam actually come together, realizing they have feelings for each other, there has been such minimal contact between them that they might as well have never met before. Edward and Bella at least had multiple conversations before declaring their undying love, and if I remember correctly, they were long conversations revealing secrets and details. None of that happened in CotM until after the pivotal "our feelings are too strong to ignore" scene, which took place between Megan and Adam at a bonfire and was one of my least favorite scenes ever. The only good thing about it was that it moved the story along so we could actually learn about the supernatural stuff that was going on.

One last downside was that the plot overall was...can you guess? Yeah. I felt like there was a great (though tension-less) build up to the relationship, then a lot of talk and not a lot of action, and it is difficult to invest in a relationship when you can't invest in the characters. I just felt like I was waiting for something to happen, but mostly is was just a lot of Megan and Adam being sure of themselves and each other. The doubts didn't feel like doubts, more like things they should consider, but really they already had their minds made up.

Some tension did build when Adam got really worried about something spoilery, so that helped. Then when the real action did happen, with less than 100 pages left to go in the book, it was over quickly. To me, those last pages were the best because they had tension, uncertainty, fear, and then something really cool happened. Speaking of cool...

COOL STUFF:

I love lore. If you give me a book with great lore, the more I'm going to like it. I liked that Irish mythology was part of this story. I also liked the way in which the supernatural part fit into the characters' lives and the abilities it gave them.

However, when we learn all of this, it was in that info-dump I mentioned and it felt a little schizophrenic, like they were saying, "Well this happened, but then there was this, and then this thing happened that related back to that, and then this didn't happen but don't worry about that part, but then this other thing occurred..." and again, confusion. It also made it feel a little shallow, like things were just being thrown in there to make it seem complex and interesting, but it didn't really work.

And as I mentioned before, I thought the action near the end was good. I hope there is more of that in the future.

VERDICT:

While I liked things about the Carrier of the Mark, all of the problems kept me from really enjoying the experience of reading it. There is potential for both this author and this story, which is to be continued as a series, but this book fell quite flat for me. Everything needed more depth and the writing took too long to get out of its own way. I am going to remain hopeful that the next, as yet unnamed, book will have a plot full of tension, intrigue, and atmosphere that I had wanted in this installment.

A Picture-a-Day Keeps Me Writing Away

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

When it comes to being a writer, commitment is key. Without it, you won't finish writing a novel. You won't finish reading a book. You won't keep your house clean or get healthy or you name it. To be committed is to make your dreams tangible, to actually do the thing you think and talk about.

I am committed to my dream of becoming an author. But sometimes when life is difficult, making a daily investment to that commitment feels beyond possible. Most days my mind is so muddled from work, stress, depression, and any number of other things that I am mentally incapable of thinking about my story and where it needs to go next. Add in other things that require my time (housework, reading, working out, Captain Italian) and I am lacking both time and mind, two things necessary to reach my dream.

Part of overcoming depression (for me, at least) is knowing that I can't let bad days spiral out of control and become bad weeks, because before I know it, it will be many bad months past before I realize I've not taken any more steps toward my dream. When I have a bad day, I try to do something to counteract it. Working out, sleeping, watching TV, or just relaxing in some way as to force my mind to shift away from the bad to the good. However, these things, like I said above, take up time, sometimes too much and then even if I feel better, I can't write because it is time to do something else.

I have heard, and feel that it is true from my own experience, that working with your hands helps aid in relaxation of the mind. Finger painting is my favorite way of doing this, but even just writing by hand or coloring works the same way.

So to help me save both time and mind, I decided that every day before I write, I will draw a picture. I bought a sketch book and a set of colorful permanent markers for the job. Now, I am not an artist. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The best thing I ever drew was a dinosaur in the first grade and I never got any better at it.

But I wanted to share this new commitment here on the blog to help keep me accountable. I'm hoping that by the end of January, I will be drawing a picture and writing for at least 30 minutes every single day, and I hope to continue this for the rest of the year. The thought is that when I draw the picture (I start with an open box, like this |__|), I will go to writing directly after completing it, thus using one commitment to spur another.

I'm still shaky on this, not quite into the routine I want, but I'm getting better at it. I plan to do update posts which will help keep me accountable as well as allow you to see the colorful fruit of my labors.

I apologize in advance for the train wreck of artistry you will witness this year at my hand. What I draw is solely based on what I'm thinking about at that time, and more than likely, it will not make any sense. I will try to explain them the best I can, if they are, in fact, explainable.

Here are the first two weeks of my Picture-a-Day commitment. You will probably laugh. You're welcome.

01/01/12 - Happy New Year and fireworks!

01/02/12 -I slept a lot that day.

01/03/12 - Sunny with no chance of snow.

01/04/12 - It rained a lot but rain does not equal snow.

01/05/12 - Come to think of it, pluses don't equal minuses.

01/06/12 - Crazy eyes and eyebrows as seen on TVD.

01/07/12 - The real actors on TVD, the eyebrows.

01/08/12 - I call this Zuglorse. Zebra/Ugly Horse.

01/09/12 - Happy does not equal sad.

01/10/12 - Happy birthday to me!

01/11/12 - Stick figures Just Dancing and one is winning.

01/12/12 - It snowed! Hooray!

01/13/12 - I blame you, Templars, for giving 13 a bad rap.

01/14/12 - How I often feel during workouts.

Quirk Review: Bloodhound (Beka Cooper #2) by Tamora Pierce

2012-01-14T23:27:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

Beka Cooper is finally a Dog—a full-fledged member of the Provost’s Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus’s streets. But there’s unrest in Tortall’s capital. Counterfeit coins are turning up in shops all over the city, and merchants are raising prices to cover their losses. The Dogs discover that gamblers are bringing the counterfeit money from Port Caynn. In Port Caynn, Beka delves deep into the gambling world, where she meets a charming banking clerk named Dale Rowan. Beka thinks she may be falling for Rowan, but she won’t let anything—or anyone—jeopardize her mission. As she heads north to an abandoned silver mine, it won’t be enough for Beka be her usual “terrier” self. She’ll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals—to be a Bloodhound. . . .

PREFACE:

I loved the first book in the Beka Cooper series, Terrier, but I had heard mixed things about the rest of the trilogy. So what did I think of this second installment?

WRITING:

The writing in this series has been some of Pierce's best, in my opinion. She works her descriptions in effortlessly and makes the world and the characters vivid. Everything from the tone to the words used puts me in that fantasy place and I love it. However, there was one particular spot that just had me wide-eyed because she used the same word what seemed like 10 or more times in the space of two paragraphs. It stood out because it was so uncharacteristic, but overall I like the writing in this series.

SETTING:

One thing I enjoyed about Terrier was that Corus was the setting for the whole book. Bloodhound is set in two cities, Corus and Port Caynn, but even with the change, I liked how the settings were portrayed. We only got to see Corus though the eyes of someone who had lived there her entire life, so it was refreshing that Beka was new to Port Caynn because that made her reactions and descriptions of the place that much more vivid. The kinds of establishments she had to go for her work in Port Caynn were types of places she hadn't visited in Corus, so that was something new as well. Also, the differences between the two cities were really evident in how the Dogs, the Governor, and the residents of Port Caynn acted, creating an even greater contrast from Corus.

CHARACTERS:

All the characters I loved from the first book are back in this one, though many to a much lesser degree due to the change in setting. I did enjoy seeing different sides to some of them, such as Tunstall and Goodwin. How things wound up for those two at the end of the book really fit and I'm glad to see what will come of it in the final story. I also love the big part animals play in this series, and Achoo was fun, as well as the pigeons. Pounce had his two-cents to add as always, though he wasn't as involved in this one.

There were some new characters that kept things interesting, not only for the reader but for Beka herself, and honestly I hated some of them (as I'm sure I was supposed to). There was a little romance in this one as well between Beka and a character from Port Caynn, but dang it if Rosto the Piper isn't my pick for Beka. Still nothing between them yet, but I'm hopeful it will happen.

DOWNSIDE:

Unfortunately, there were a couple things about Bloodhound that made it lower in my esteem than Terrier. First, the pacing was much slower for the first chunk of the book. There is a hint that something is going on, but it was not as intriguing a mystery as the one from the first book. When the action finally gets going, half the book has passed.

Second, and this is related to the first, was the lack of tension. There was a lot of tension during Beka's puppy year, and while it was nice seeing her as an accomplished Dog now in the groove of things, having Beka not needing to prove herself or noticing something amiss seemed to make her just a little...boring. I still love her, no doubt, and I liked that she was having partner troubles because that was honest strife, but all that moved pretty quickly along and there wasn't anything to fill in those gaps. That's not to say nothing happened in the beginning of the book, but it wasn't as catching as what went on in the first book.

COOL STUFF:

I think the neatest thing about this series is getting to hear names attached to places and people that I recognize from other Tortall series. We get to meet one of Alanna's ancestors, gifted with the same purple magic as she. We also learn something about Barony Olau, where Sir Myles from the Song of the Lioness comes from. The coolest thing is that The Dancing Dove is built by Rosto the Piper, who has a thing for Beka, and two hundred years from their time Beka's descendant, George Cooper, will be the King of the Rogues and holding court in that very same place.

VERDICT:

While not quite as good as its predecessor, Bloodhound is still a fun book following one Pierce's best heroines through her tribulations and victories as a Provost's Guard. I will definitely be reading the third and final book and look forward to joining Beka on one last adventure.

Write Stuff [17]

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-06:00

Write Stuff is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process: I finished NaNoWriMo and have been snailing along at writing the draft to completion.

My problem(s) today: My brain hurts. I haven't felt well the last week or so, thus I haven't felt like writing.

What made me happy today: It snowed! I like winter and snow. I do not, however, like ice. To quote that singer named after a food dish...know what? Never mind. Yay snow!

Goal for tomorrow: Write for just 30 minutes. In other words, just make the freaking bed.

Do you have writing resolutions or goals for the new year?

Giveaway Highlight: Rafflecopter

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Win an Apple iPad 2 or an Amazon Kindle Fire from Rafflecopter!Also, if you enter because of my post, pleas tell them Shalena @ Writer Quirk referred you!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writer Quirk Birthday Giveaway!

2012-01-10T19:58:00.000-06:00

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

Today is my birthday and I want to celebrate by giving away a bunch of books!

Four lucky quirks will win one of four YA prize packs!

YA Contemporary Pack

Gossip Girl (Gossip Girl #1) by Cecily von Ziegesar

ARC Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

YA Vampire Pack

Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods #1) by Melissa de la Cruz

Masquerade (Blue Bloods #2) by Melissa de la Cruz

Revelations (Blue Bloods #3) by Melissa de la Cruz

YA Paranormal Pack

White Cat (Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black

Shade (Shade #1) by Jeri Smith-Ready

Evernight (Evernight #1) by Claudia Gray

YA Fey/Fantasy Pack

Wings (Wings #1) by Aprilynne Pike

Graceling (Seven Kingdoms #1) by Kristin Cashore

Fire (Seven Kingdoms #2) by Kristin Cashore

Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget to enter.

(1 mandatory entry; 25 extra points available)

This giveaway is US only and all the usual rules apply.

(Writer Quirk Giveaway Rules)

Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST January 31st!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quirk Review: Terrier (Beka Cooper #1) by Tamora Pierce

2012-01-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

Tamora Pierce begins a new Tortall trilogy introducing Beka Cooper, an amazing young woman who lived 200 years before Pierce's popular Alanna character. For the first time, Pierce employs first-person narration in a novel, bringing readers even closer to a character that they will love for her unusual talents and tough personality.

Beka Cooper is a rookie with the law-enforcing Provost's Guard, and she's been assigned to the Lower City. It's a tough beat that's about to get tougher, as Beka's limited ability to communicate with the dead clues her in to an underworld conspiracy. Someone close to Beka is using dark magic to profit from the Lower City's criminal enterprises--and the result is a crime wave the likes of which the Provost's Guard has never seen before.

PREFACE:

I've read (and loved) almost all the other books Tamora Pierce has written involving the kingdom of Tortall. After hearing that this trilogy was more recent and about an ancestor of one of my favorite characters from some of her other series, I had to read it. So was it as good as my other forays into Pierce's fantasy world?

Better.

WRITING:

Though I have enjoyed all of Pierce's books, you can definitely tell that her writing has improved over the years and throughout her various series. This book was probably the most well written of hers that I've read. In some of her past (in some cases, way past) novels, extraneous details, wordiness, and sections of description slowed the action and plot, but none of that was an issue in Terrier. The novel has a flow that makes it easy to get caught up in the story, probably because it was written in first person POV, unlike previous novels. What's more, the vernacular that is used specific to the time and characters is amazing and really gives the novel that extra something that makes it feel unique.

SETTING:

With Pierce's other books, the setting was usually varied, going between different areas of Tortall or sometimes outside of Tortall and into other kingdoms. I liked that 99% of this story takes place in the Lower City of Corus. Even if future books have different settings, spending time with the characters in this one location for the whole book really helped me to imagine it better and feel like I know the place. If I can feel some sort of connection or familiarity to the setting of a novel, I generally like it more.

CHARACTERS:

Like all of her Tortall books, Pierce has a strong female main character surrounded by a cast of other characters. The MC in this one is Beka Cooper, and she is now one of my top two favorite Pierce MCs (the other being her descendant Aly). I love that she isn't perfect and her flaws get in her way on occasion. She came from a rough background but got a leg up in the world with the help of the Lord Provost. Unlike some of her siblings, Beka did not take this good fortune for granted or become pompous because of it.

Beka is also tenacious and it is her most prominent trait. When she sees that something needs done, even if she's not the one who is supposed to do it, she works at it and gets it accomplished. She puts her heart into everything she does, and her dedication gets results. She really makes this book for me.

The rest of the characters range from other puppies (rookie guards) and Dogs (full guards) to common folk and rogues. They fill in all the necessary spots in Beka's life. Her Dogs, Tunstall and Goodwin, offer training and support, while Ersken, Kora, Aniki, and Rosto are her friends and helpers in time of need. Beka's cat, Pounce, adds the magical element, as he is a black cat with purple eyes that sometimes talks to Beka and helps her. Overall I like all the characters, even though some have unlikable parts to them, and they all, including the villains, are fleshed out. And despite the fact that Pierce doesn't give extensive descriptions of all of them, I can imagine each of them easily based on their actions and temperaments.

COOL STUFF:

With Pierce's Tortall novels, there is always overlap, usually with characters from other series appearing now and then. This wasn't exactly possible for this trilogy, as it is set 200 years before the Song of the Lioness quartet that was chronologically the earliest series before this one was written. However, Pierce does elaborate on the origins of another character from the Song of the Lioness series, Alanna's cat, Faithful, who was also a black cat with purple eyes. We learn a little bit about Faithful in Alanna's quartet, but in this book the information is more definitive and it was a fun tidbit to have.

Another fun part was learning about one of the lady knights of old mentioned mostly in Alanna's quartet (and I'd wager in the Protector of the Small quartet as well, though I haven't read those books yet). While there were supposedly more during the time of Beka Cooper, the one we meet is Lady Sabine. She is not only an imposing woman, but brave and free-minded as well. There is no doubt as to how Lady Sabine became one of the few, the proud, the female as a knight of Tortall. I think she could kick a man double her size up and down the street with ease (and probably enjoy it). It was interesting to finally meet one of these lady knights that came (way) before Alanna.

My last cool thing about this book was a shift in focus and form from Pierce's other novels. I love mysteries, and Beka has a sort-of double one to deal with in this book. While mystery is not new to the books of Tortall, it is different seeing it as the main plot. In most of the other stories the focus is on the character and her adventures and growth with the mystery plots helping her change and evolve as a person. Most of the time, though, they were really more like problem-solving plots, because the character knew who was bad (or found out early on) or knew what needed to happen and just had to figure out what to do or how to do it. The change to first person aided this shift in focus because instead of being outside of the character and focused on her as a person, we were in Beka's head, focused on whatever she was focused on, which in this book was the double mystery.

As for the change in form, unlike previous heroines who had considerable personal magic or a god guiding her way, Beka Cooper has very little of either. She has a gift that (at least in this book) is only helpful for information gathering, and Pounce, who, despite being decidedly magical, only offers minimal guidance. I liked that Beka had to rely on Beka and it kept the novel flowing in one direction.

VERDICT:

I loved this book. It has everything I look for from Pierce with the refreshing first person point of view taking it up another level. A great mystery, good world-building, and a heroine who's as feisty and good-hearted as they come, Terrier exceeded my already high expectations. Needless to say, I can't wait to read the next book and follow Beka on her next adventure.

Giveaway Highlight: Book Nerd Reviews

2012-01-06T22:39:00.001-06:00

Melissa over at Book Nerd Reviews is giving away one of four January 2012 releases to one lucky winner!

Giveaway is international and ends January 31st!

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2012 Reading Challenge

2012-01-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

2012 Reading Challenge

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After seeing this post the other day, I decided it would be good for me to try something new in regards to reading this year. So, I went and officially signed myself up for my first ever reading challenge. Woot!

Last year, I read about 60 books, which was more than I had expected. My goal for this year is 75 books. I also want to be more intentional with it, not only reading a bunch of books, but challenging myself to review more. I also plan to do (at least) a monthly update of my progress to keep myself accountable.

For my challenge, I am counting both physical books and audio books, mostly YA. Beyond this, I am also challenging myself to read more craft books on writing, but I'm not going to count those toward the overall goal.

I'm going to use the Goodreads widget (seen above and on my sidebar) to keep track. I don't have a set list of books, but here are some that I am hoping to count toward my goal:

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Ditched by Robin Mellom

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Until I Die by Amy Plum

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Terrier by Tamora Pierce

Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

Mastiff by Tamora Pierce

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Shadow Falls by Cate Tiernan

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

The Revenant by Sonia Gensler

Revived by Cat Patrick

Two Truths and a Lie by Sara Shepard

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Endlessly by Kiersten White

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

If I even get half of these, it will be a good year for reading!

Are you participating in a challenge this year? Do you have reading goals?

Happy reading!

Quirk Review: The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson

2012-01-03T21:47:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

PREFACE:
I know how this will sound, but before this novel, I had never read anything by Maureen Johnson. I follow her on Twitter, but her other books are contemporary, and we all know how difficult it is for me to make myself read one. But this, this was different. The title and synopsis was intriguing. Boarding school, London, Jack the Ripper? Um, yes please. But was the book as good as I hoped?

Heh. It is Maureen Johnson, after all...

WRITING:

Johnson's writing was fluid, uncomplicated, and mixed perfect amounts of description, feeling, and humor. I also loved the insertion of snippets from points of view other than the main character's. It was very easy to get caught up in the story. I like it best when the writing fits the story. I'm not sure how to explain that other than different types of stories require different tones and language, and I think Johnson was pitch-perfect writing about an American girl in London dealing with some normal and not-so-normal occurrences. And again, the humor. I think I snorted a few times.

SETTING:

Like I said before, there was just the right amount of description. I got the feel of London, the wet streets, the cozy but impressive boarding school, the green spaces and fancy flats and the underground. I felt like I knew exactly where the characters were without getting an overload of details. The atmosphere of London, whether it was night or day, in the city or at the school, was spot-on.

CHARACTERS:

Rory was a great main character. She felt normal and fairly uncomplicated, the right mix of sarcasm, teenager, and newcomer. I loved that she had a quirky family, and I loved her mostly chill attitude. Her feelings didn't seem overblown, she was thoughtful and smart, and at the end, she did what she thought was right, which was also brave. She would be the kind of girl you would want to hang out with at school.

Her roommate and friend, Jazza, was sweet and serious and I loved her. In fact, I thought all the characters were realistic as well as distinct. Charlotte was the meanest of the bunch, but she wasn't the over-the-top queen bee normally seen in YA. I liked that the drama wasn't overblown. She and Rory didn't like each other, but like real life, they had other goals and things to focus on. That was something I appreciated more than anything.

Jerome was another good character because he definitely was a bit awkward as well as had some highly individualized interests, but he wasn't a loner or anti-social. I liked that most all of the characters were like that, not just one single thing, but a mix of things, like people in real life. And the teenagers felt definitely like teenagers.

The characters who were also young but not part of the school scene, Stephen, Callum, and Boo, worked in a different way. They had experienced things that affected them and left them different from others their age. Even with their abnormal life, they still felt real and individual, and they took seriously what had happened to them and what they chose to do because of it. I liked how Rory went back and forth between the two groups and fit into both of them. It felt like a real struggle any person could have, albeit, hers was pretty unusual.

Then there were the other characters, the ones I don't want to say too much about due to the spoileriness. I liked how there was a range of those characters, each with different personalities and motivations and creep-factors. As for the main protagonist, creepy-creepy-creepy. Chills creepy. And that's all I'm going to say.

COOL STUFF:

The paranormal mystery centering around the history of Jack the Ripper was beyond cool. I knew a little about it, but the stuff shared in the novel was like a really fun history lesson. I felt like I had Rippermania right along with the residents of London.

I also loved the mix of science with the paranormal occurrences. The technology used seemed to make sense, under the circumstances, and it was cool to see what those involved with it knew and understood and what they didn't.

And, as if the novel wasn't good enough already, the ending had me gaping and so very, very excited for the next installment. I loved that it was not only completely unexpected, but it showed that there was still more to learn about the world Rory inhabited.

VERDICT:

Being that this novel had a lot that interested me - paranormal happenings, murder mystery, unique locale, historical tie-in - I had high expectations. Not only were my expectations met, but they were exceeded. Written with humor, realistic characters, and a mystery worthy of the infamous Jack the Ripper, The Name of the Star is the kind of book to keep you up at night in the best possible way.

Favority-Fave Reads of 2011

2011-12-31T23:59:00.000-06:00

Yes, this is my favorite books of 2011 post, and I'm sliding it into the blogosphere right ahead of the New Year. Click the covers to go to each title's Goodreads page. The list is separated up but the books are not in any particular order, so without further ado:

Favority-Faves: Debuts and Firsts in a Series Published in 2011

Hourglass by Myra McEntire - Debut (Full Review)
This book had everything you look for in Paranormal YA and a lot that hadn't been seen before. I loved Emerson and her boys and can't wait to slip back into their world in 2012!

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab - Debut (Full Review)

Everything about this book, from the writing to the characters to the setting, is amazing and lovely. No matter what Schwab writes in the future, I'm reading it.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - Debut (Full Review)
This book caught me off guard by how good it was! It not only had a great premise, but it felt like it was a true story. Contemporary YA is often not my thing so take it from me, this one is worth your time.

Forgotten by Cat Patrick - Debut

I love a good mystery, especially when it involves a great character and a budding romance. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, which is where I am waiting for Patrick's next work.

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson - First in a Series (Full Review)
This is one of the most amazing books I've ever read thanks to the beautiful writing and mind-bending mystery. If you take a chance on any book, make it this one because it is not at all what it seems.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - First in a Series

Not only did this book have mystery, a quirky MC, and Jack the Ripper, but it was a fun read that made me laugh and gave me chills. The ending has stuck with me and I'm highly anticipating the next in the series.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - Debut

I knew this book would be creepy, and I loved every minute of creepy it gave me along with some great characters and a good mystery. The jaw-dropper ending got me right between the eyes, too.

Divergent by Veronica Roth - Debut

I knew Roth could write by reading her blog, and her book did not disappoint. So much action, suspense, heartbreak, and triumph made it a true roller coaster ride I wished could go on and on.

Die for Me by Amy Plum - Debut
Despite being a paranormal, I was wary of this book, but it surprised me with how good it was. It sports a great cast of characters, fantastic lore, a powerful romance, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver - First in a Series

I was interested in this book but not expecting to like it due to the focus on romance, but I was wrong! This story had my heart pounding, I felt for the characters, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Favortiy-Faves: Series I Read with a Book Published in 2011

Hex Hall & Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall series (Full Review of First Book)

I loved snarky Sophie and the crazy things that happened in Hex Hall. It was both a lot of fun and full of mystery and magic. Demonglass was a fitting sequel and I loved the darker, more dangerous atmosphere that made the whole book exciting. This series has everything I love in a story with great characters and twisty-turns to boot.

Heist Society & Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Heist Society series

Ally Carter is the queen of high-concept, hands down. I love all the characters in this series, as well as the sophistication and more adult feeling of the novels even though they are still in my favorite section (YA, duh) in the bookstore. These books have lots of heart, are fun, funny, smart, and exciting. This is one series I hope goes on and on and on because it is that good.

Beautiful Creatures & Beautiful Darkness

by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Caster Chronicles

The atmosphere and endearing main character of this magical series keep me coming back for more. Though these books are (quite, rather, enormously) long and the love interest irritates me more often than I like, I still love them. They have an feel all their own with a cast of characters ranging from quirky to crazy, meaning there's not a dull moment.

The Lying Game & Never Have I Ever

by Sara Shepard

The Lying Game series

I love the concept of this series and the books are suspense filled rides. They have all the charm and intrigue of the Pretty Little Liars books but in this one, I actually like the main character. I stay on the edge of my seat as the secrets are revealed and suspects are added to or marked off the list. This is one of the best series out there.

Favority-Faves: Books I Read in 2011 Published Before 2011

Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter
Carter is on my list again, this time for the continuation of a story that really is to blame for me loving YA. This fourth book in the Gallagher Girls series did nothing but ratchet up the suspense, danger, and romance for the girls at the Gallagher Academy. The writing, characters, and plots just get better and better each time.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I was hoping for a happily-ever-after read and Perkins delivered with this fun and well-written contemporary romance. I loved the characters and the setting and am a forever fan of Perkins because of this book. I plan on reading all of her books, but especially the ones that are Anna companion novels.

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan
Tiernan's writing has a way of sweeping me up, and I loved getting lost is the main character's internal struggle for a better life. The history, mystery, and magic in this book drew me in and kept me. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel due out next year.

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Add boarding school, magic, supernatural powers, mythology, mystery, history, romance, and danger, mix and serve, and you get this book. I thoroughly enjoyed having all my favorite elements in one read. I got caught up in the multifaceted drama and hope there is more to come for the residents of Shadow Hills.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Full Review)
This was a book I was both interested in and didn't want to read because of the concept and subject matter. But I'm glad I did because not only was it well-written, but the powerful message was woven into a carefully crafted narrative. This is one book that is both heartbreaking and hopeful and worthy of your bookshelf.

Trickster's Choice & Trickster's Queen

by Tamora Pierce

Pierce is my go-to fantasy author and I love all of her books that I've read (so far) set in the land of Tortall. This series upped the intrigue and magic with more great characters and wonderful writing. It was so good I wish it was more than two books!

That's it, quirks! I hope you enjoyed my list and take a chance on some (or many) of these if you haven't read them already. Share your favorites or thoughts on mine in the comments!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From Where I'm Standing [5] - 2011: The Year of Awesome

2011-12-31T02:24:00.000-06:00

Every year, I feel like I say, "Well, it's been quite a year!" 2011 is no exception. In fact, I think it was quite a bit more awesome than most of my previous years. Here are my reasons:

I DO!

Definitely the highlight of my year was getting to marry the most awesome person on the planet, my husband of going-on five months, Eric (I usually refer to him as Captain Italian or The Hubs on here and Twitter). We not only really dig each other (and have since 2003), we also got married on a great date, August 14, 2011. Now, if you know me at all, you know that I do not prefer the number 2, and I also have a thing about the aesthetics of numbers. The number 8 happens to be my husband's favorite number, and 14 is one of mine (the other is 31, in case you were wondering) and 11 is pretty awesome as well (yes, I am ignoring the other two numbers...I'm sure you get why).

We got to go on a very fun and geeky honeymoon in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We played at MagiQuest to our hearts' content, explored and escaped The Tomb, saw sharks at the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, and visited the very magical Dollywood. We ate lots of great food and walked miles and miles and miles. We also rode trolleys, which was cool and helped us when we got tired of walking our feet off.

Just recently, we went to visit The Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, to see all the pretty Christmas decorations. We had some great burgers while there, walked what felt like miles and miles and miles (this may be our thing) and were dazzled by the gorgeous lights, both at the hotel and at a nearby mega-light show set to music. That day we also visited two bookstores, one of which was Ann Patchett's Parnassus Books. It was very cozy and I loved the local atmosphere.

IT'S A GIRL!

No, not mine, but my cousin's. She had a baby girl (Lily Brooke) just a month or so ago, our first new family member in several years. I'm sort of baby-phobic, so I plan to spend more time with her when she's, you know, a little older (if you can't tell because I'm smiling, I'm a little wary of breaking her in the photo below).

MYRA WAS MY FIRST

Heh. I love saying that, though it is not as scandalous as it may sound. Maybe you can tell from my posts or my tweets, maybe you can't, but I tend to be a little oblivious of things going on outside of my home town bubble. So I didn't know that a very awesome book festival, the Southern Festival of Books, had been happening just over in Nashville for, like, a long long time. But I did hear about it this year and was able to attend some Saturday panels. What I mean is, I chose Saturday because Myra McEntire and Victoria Schwab were going to be there doing panels and signings. I already stalked them on Twitter, so why not in Nashville too?

Anyhoo, I went and it was (my word of the year) awesome. Myra is ridiculous, y'all, in the best of ways. Seriously. I would love to just sit and listen to her tell stories, real, fictional, doesn't matter. I missed some of her panel (she was speaking with Jessica Warman, author of Between, on writing mysteries). After the panel, I got to meet Myra. She was and forever will be the first author I have met and spoken with in person and gotten a personally signed book from. It was epic. She signed some copies of Hourglass and some posters, and then we got to talk for a little bit. She told me her Charlie Bewley story, and she has great taste in eye wear. Seriously she is one of my favorite authors ever.

After that, my escorts (Captain Italian and his sidekick and best friend Danger Rob), and I walked to Demos'. We ate steak and relaxed then returned for the panel featuring Victoria Schwab (author of The Near Witch) and Sonia Gensler (author of The Revenant) on writing supernatural stories for teens. It was so much fun. I loved hearing how each author came up with the ideas for their books (I hadn't read either at that point) and Victoria was just as great in person as in her videos. I was also very glad that I got to hear Sonia speak because I hadn't heard of her before and she is so great. I was able to get books signed by both of them and speak with them a little and it was grand (no picture though, because my iPhone died). Oh yeah, and there were protesters, not of the festival, but you know, occupying things.

MASTERFUL

I tried to play golf way back in 7th grade, and I was horrible and I didn't find it fun. However, I like to watch golf, and golf is also my dad's most favorite of all things ever. We have the chance everyone year to attend the Masters Tournament at Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia, and this past April was the first time I got to go. Before going to the tournament, we stayed in a little town and got to eat at a really cool local place called Yesterday Cafe. Then the next day I got to see (up close!) Tiger Woods, Phil Mickleson, and a bunch of English/Irish/Australian hottie golfers (and one hottie Australian TV sportscaster) play and talk. I also met a bunch of funny Brits and an Irish man who gave me lots of info on Ireland as we stood and watched Charl Schwartzel of South Africa win the tournament.

iOWN

Another highlight of my year was getting my first ever i-product, the iPhone 4. It's great. I use it for lots of things (Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, listening to books, not getting lost). The Hubs is not fond of my phone because he thinks I'm addicted to it (no comment) but I'm sure he'll see the light when he gets one of his own...eventually. I must add that while my phone is, in and of itself, epic, I would be up a creek without cell service if it weren't for the OtterBox Defender case. Seriously, y'all, I get insurance and a heavy duty case for my phone for a reason. Not only did my phone meet liquids three times this year (glass of water, can of Mountain Dew, and a river), as well as get dropped countless times, but it also was left (by me) on top of my car, which was driven for a mile or so before someone realized there were headphones blowing in the breeze outside my window. I then reached through the open window to the roof of my car and retrieved my phone. I'm sure the look on my face was one of great horror, relief, and embarrassment all at the same time. The OtterBox case has saved my phone and saved me lots of money, so the $50 I spent on it was well worth it.

HAPPY=BOOKS

I love my husband. More than anything else this year (except maybe food) he has spent lots of money making me happy, and by making me happy, I mean buying me books. In fact, many of the books he bought me are some of my very favorites. I would like to share those favorites with you, but you shall have to wait! Look for my Favority-Favorite Reads of 2011, to be posted in the (very) near future!

Like I said before, it's been a quite a year! I hope all of my fellow quirks out there have had lots of happy, awesome things happen this year as well. Feel free to share in the comments!

Quirk Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

2011-12-29T18:41:00.001-06:00

From Goodreads:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

PREFACE:

I had the very great pleasure of hearing Victoria Schwab speak at a panel at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville back in October. I hadn't yet dived into The Near Witch, but hearing her talk about how the novel came about and her interest in fairy tales and magic made me all the more excited for it. Did The Near Witch merit my excitement?

Yes, yes, and YES. There are many reasons why I not only enjoyed this book, but loved it.

WRITING:

Breathtaking. Artful. That's what I think when I think about Schwab's writing in The Near Witch. Reading this book was like sinking into a bubble bath of fairy tale proportions. It was beautiful and familiar and exciting. I could imagine everything so clearly, smell and see and hear what the main character, Lexi, described. One of my Goodreads updates said, "Rich atmosphere. Feels like a masterpiece theatre fairy tale in the best possible way." That was on page 16, y'all. It didn't even take me that many pages to fall headfirst into this story and want to stay as long as possible.

SETTING:

The town of Near is set in an unnamed place in an unnamed time that is both nowhere and everywhere, without time and within it. I could picture the swaying grass, the dusty trails, the quaint village, the Thorne sisters' house, the lonely moor, with ease. The town and the moor were characters really, one stifling but safe, one wild and full of wonder and danger. Schwab did an excellent job of using the setting to illustrate the internal struggle of Lexi and the external struggle between the people of Near (or their ideologies rather) and the stranger, Cole.

CHARACTERS:

Very early on, Lexi became one of my favorite characters ever. She is exactly what you want a heroine to be. Compassionate, headstrong, stands up for what is right, even if strange and unpopular. She has a wanderlust and thirst for something different but loves her family and is too protective of them to just take off. She trusts in those who deserve it, namely her father and his memory. She does not let others overrun her and she doesn't sway from her beliefs when things get difficult. I loved that Lexi was a very proactive heroine, always going and doing and finding things out for herself.

Cole, the stranger in Near and the love interest, was, well, something out of a fairy tale. He had a mystery about him that makes you think he might be more than he seems right from the beginning. Once Cole began opening up to Lexi, I liked him and his sort-of tortured existence. I don't want to say too much about him because it could be spoilery, but I really liked Cole.

As for the relationship between Cole and Lexi, I must say that while it wasn't insta-love, it moved rather quickly. I think the story takes place in about a week's time, more or less. But, after reading it and considering it (and my mind often wanders back to Near and Lexi and Cole) I decided that for this story, it worked and it fit. Lexi is a girl of marrying age, something she mentions at the beginning of the novel. Settling down with a respectable man is something her uncle, Otto, wants her to think about (along with being a normal, domesticated woman) as it is proper for their culture. But Lexi, being who she is, she sees no one in Near that is a viable option for her to marry.

When Cole comes along, he is everything she has wanted to see and experience, something strange, something different, something new, and so she is drawn to him automatically. It makes sense that after getting to know him, Lexi develops feelings and the relationship progresses quickly. Before Cole, she had no options, so when she decides Cole is an option, she goes with that choice. It literally takes as long as a door opening to go from having no options to having an option. I'm not saying Lexi didn't actully love Cole (and vice versa) or saw him as her only hope of marriage; I'm saying that Lexi knew what she wanted and it wasn't in Near before Cole arrived. As for Cole's feeling for Lexi, it was really difficult as a reader not to love Lexi, so there's no way Cole could have escaped her charm.

When it came to the other characters, I really liked how fleshed out they all were. From Otto, Bo, Tyler, and The Council, who were pretty much always on my "Dang you! You ruin things!" list to Wren and Lexi's mother and Magda and Dreska Thorne, they all felt tangible and I could understand their motives and personalities. What I also really loved is the (not so) subliminal message that women are powerful. Granted they are not the only sources of power in the novel (and there are different types of power) but dang if the women in this story were not some of the wisest, bravest characters I've read in quite a while. I loved it.

Speaking of a powerful female character, the Near Witch and her tricks and plots and physical forms, were creepy. Creepy-creepy, y'all. I can't say I was frightened, but I was definitely cringing when the Near Witch came into the picture. Again, everything was told in stark, poetic detail, so I could imagine every bit of it. There, I cringed again just thinking about it.

COOL STUFF:

There are a few other things about the book that I really loved. The first is the lore. How magic worked in the story, where it came from, what witches could do, what the Near Witch could do, all of it was so interesting and really added to the atmosphere of the story. I could probably read a whole book just on the witches and the magic.

The second thing was the stories and folklore the villagers told within the story. Not only was it as lyrical as the rest of the writing, but even more so. I felt like I believed in these stories and rhymes as much as the town of Near did by the end of it. They each had their own sort of life, and really, the stories were almost as much a character as the Near Witch herself.

The third thing has to do with the meta quality of the story. It is a little strange to try to put into words what I mean exactly, as it is one of those hard-to-wrap-your-mind-around things. I think the simplest way to say it is this is a fairy tale that is almost about fairy tales and there is a reflective nature in the story that draws from and mirrors how we use fairy tales in real life. It is a within and without kind of thing. Okay, I'm going to stop trying to explain it because I'm just muddling it up. Why don't you go read The Near Witch and we can talk about it elsewhere?

VERDICT:

Hands down, The Near Witch easily carved a spot on my favorite books ever list. The gorgeous writing, thoughtful heroine, and eerie yet magnetic atmosphere make for a rich story that is sure to capture the heart and imagination.

Quirk Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2011-12-26T18:56:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

PREFACE:

Some time ago (July, I think), I won an advanced reader copy of Catching Jordan in a giveaway by the author, Miranda Kenneally. I don't remember how I came across the giveaway, but I do know what interested me. First, the giveaway required you to name your favorite sport (I chose basketball and football) and name your favorite bad-a woman (since this was sports related, I picked the University of Tennessee at Knoxville women's basketball coach, Pat Summit, who actually has more wins than any NCAA basketball coach, male or female). Second, Kenneally is from my home state of Tennessee. Third, Catching Jordan is about a girl who plays football in Tennessee.

Now, if you've followed my blog and seen my reviews, you should have noticed something...I'm not that into contemporary YA. It's not that I don't read it at all, but it is rare that I do and enjoy it to the level that I enjoy paranormal, fantasy, and the like. But because of all that I mentioned above, I was interested in Catching Jordan.

Last night, I came across this ARC and didn't know if I wanted to try and read it or just add it to a pile of books I'm going to do a giveaway for soon. Despite my interest, it was still a contemporary YA novel and more often than not, I pass them by. But, I decided the best way to figure that out was to read a little bit of it and see how I felt. And...

I read the whole thing in one sitting. Yeah, you read that right. One sitting. One night. Something I haven't done in a very, very long time. And for the record, that paragraph summary up there doesn't do the book justice. What was it about this book that made me not stop reading until I had reached the last page?

WRITING:

This being a contemporary novel, it is important the writing makes everything about the story feel real. Kenneally did this with ease. The words flowed naturally, including dialogue. There was some course language, but it wasn't overwhelming and it fit the characters (who were teenage football players for the most part) and the struggles Jordan was going through. I also loved how the words gave the book the proper atmosphere. Having played sports for a Tennessee high school, it all meshed with my memories of how things felt and sounded.

SETTING:

This book was set in Tennessee, so I loved that! It was fun because even though Kenneally didn't go into super-detail with the descriptions (fine by me), I could picture everything. Jordan's house, her friend's houses, the lake, the fields, the football stadiums, it all easily formed in my mind. This story would be a perfect television show or movie because it was that easy to visualize.

I also was very happy that Kenneally included the disparity of status often seen in Tennessee. There are lots of rich people and poor people and in-between people, sometimes living on the same street. Even though that exists most places, I felt like this was something Kenneally didn't have to mention much in the story, but I was glad that she did because it did paint a much more realistic picture for me. I have read where the main character lives comfortably but then gawks at a mansion or a character is super-poor, but having these details as part of the setting, not just facts on a character sheet, really stood out.

CHARACTERS:

The characters in Catching Jordan all felt real to me. Jordan herself is a driven girl with big goals. I liked her attitude and her loyalty to her team. She is a strong leader and her friendships with her teammates were genuine. She wanted to be a good leader for them and they were all protective of her, not just because she was a girl, but because she was their captain and they respected her.

Jordan's personal growth in the novel made her even more likable. A lot of it had to do with her walking the line between being a football player and being a girl and realizing she could (and should) be both without compromising the other. Since Jordan's best friends were all guys (I loved JJ and Carter, by the way), it was also good to see Jordan learn that not all girls are backstabbers and gossips and she can have loyal friends that don't play football. It was nice that she not only recognized this, but acted on it.

Jordan's family was also great. I loved the family dynamics and how it was dysfunctional but close. It seemed like I could know this family and it worked so well in the story. I also liked that Jordan's feelings for her family actually came out in her actions. She wasn't like the typical YA protagonist that just obviously loves her family and says so, but Jordan's actions and choices reflected her feelings. She was angry and tough with her dad, grateful for her mother, and relied on her brother for support and guidance.

The love interests in this were good too. I felt bad for Ty because I could really understand his character. As a person struggling to get by and helping take care of family members due to medical issues, I know exactly how difficult life can be and how whacky it can make you. The kindness of Jordan's family toward him really made me happy because sometimes it is so hard to let others know what you are dealing with and when someone offers to help you, it can be life-changing.

As for Henry, I liked Henry right off the bat. He was expressive and quirky and funny and just so...Henry. He and Jordan had a really special bond you couldn't help but love. BUT, and this is a big but, when I think about his antics with girls throughout the entirety of the novel, it bothers me. Jordan didn't seem to care that he was sleeping around and often joked about it (except for one point where his late nights were upsetting her as a captain because she didn't want his lack of sleep to affect the team). At one point, three girls that Henry has liked, has dated, or has fooled around with are talking in the same room together and not one of them seems weirded out that all three of them have somehow been involved with Henry at one point or another. That was the only thing that seemed off in the story. Maybe if they hadn't been talking about Henry at the time, it wouldn't have bothered me, because I've actually experienced the same thing, but they were talking about Henry so I just found it odd. Me and the two girls that also dated the same guy never talked about it or tried to help the others when they were with him because it was weird.

Anyway, so when I think about Henry's good qualities and his faults together, he seems to me like a great guy that did everything wrong. He messes up a lot throughout the novel, from his antics to his mood swings to his outbursts. I think he figures all that out about himself by the end, so at least there's that. But his loyalty and feelings for Jordan were completely authentic and I loved their friendship and the silly things they did together. For Jordan to ignore his antics wasn't completely out of the question because they were best friends for ten years, so she saw a lot more to him than his faults, which I understand. So in the end, I still like Henry.

COOL STUFF:

There were some other things in Catching Jordan that I really liked. First, the chapter subtitles. Not only did each chapter have a title pertaining to something that happened in the chapter, but most also had a subtitle. For about half of the book, they were countdowns to Jordan's college visit to her dream school. I liked this because as an aspiring author, I always read about high stakes for a character, and these subtitles reminded me about Jordan's goal and really helped me get in her head, making the stakes feel higher and more important.

Second, Jordan starts some creative writing during her story, and the novel is peppered with poetry relating to what is going on in her life. The poems are fun and I loved how it broke up the normal narrative. Again, this brought me more into Jordan's mind and I loved it.

Third, this novel being set in Tennessee and having to do with sports, it was fun to see the names of the teams Jordan was playing. Even if those high schools don't actually exist, I knew where the towns and counties were, so it was like reading a story about a real girl who lives in my state. It was just cool and gave the story another reason to feel real.

VERDICT:

Overall, Catching Jordan is a realistic and fun novel about a girl fighting for her dreams and learning what is really important in life. Even if you don't care about football or sports in general, everyone can relate to Jordan's struggles and triumphs. This novel has lots of heart and will keep you turning the pages and rooting for Jordan all the way.

25 Days of Jubilation! - Books Most Wanted

2011-12-25T01:22:00.001-06:00

I somehow missed this blog hop giveaway, but I found it just in time to enter for a signed copy of

CLOCKWORK PRINCE by CASSANDRA CLARE

over at

Books Most Wanted!

Head over there to get your entry in - giveaway ends January 6, 2012!

From Where I'm Standing [4] - The First of Many

2011-12-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving has just passed, and like every year, it was accompanied by a lot of, well, thanks. I've read several tweets and blog posts giving thanks for anything and everything. Being that I am a writer, aspiring author, and blogger, the majority that I have seen are from those that fit in one or more of those three categories.

This post isn't about giving thanks (though I have a lot to be thankful for) but relates to the post Beth Revis did called "Thankful for Dreams" on her (very cool) blog. If you haven't read it, go do so. I'll wait.

I agree with Revis that having a dream is paramount. Dreams, goals, whatever you want to call them, are internal motivators and things we can see and move toward on the horizon. And it is that feeling, that sensation of standing on the peak and seeing ahead in the distance the next point in the journey, that I have come to treasure. I'm standing right now on the the first of many points in my journey to being an author.

While I like to think I am equally reasonable and emotional, always using the best of both worlds, I would be lying if I said those things that speak to me in an intangible, and sometimes reasonless, way, were not what moved me the most. A good argument rarely wins me over unless the argument, almost literally, moves my feelings or thoughts to agree. But a sunrise? A song? A dream? Moved like a mountain into the sea.

Nothing moves me and motivates me to continue my journey to becoming an author more than that feeling of being on the precipice, on the edge of that next step. The step I'm on is rather far from my goal, since I don't yet have anything even close to ready for the querying stage, but just standing and being able to see the general road ahead pushes me to complete the step I'm on now. That step involves finishing my first draft of my second novel, finishing the second draft of my first novel, the moving on to edit and revise that first novel, which may take who knows how many times to get a polished product.

But I can see that polished manuscript in the distance. I know that if I keep working, keep writing and reading and writing some more, it will get better, and the ebb and flow of working on it will produce the polished rock out of the jagged mess it once was. I don't want to put time limits on this, since the process is the process and it can take as long or as little as it feels like. But if I work, it will get done. And knowing myself and how long it has taken me to get this far, I think I will be able to start querying sometime in 2013. I know that sounds like a long way off, but really it's not. I hope that I can stay motivated so that maybe, something great (who knows what - maybe getting an agent, maybe finishing the series I'm working on - maybe something else altogether) will happen in 2014 (fourteen is my favorite number and this will also be the year of my ten year high school reunion). But only I can make that happen. If I don't work, then it won't happen.

This idea, this fact, that working on it will be the only way to get there is something I knew but was reiterated to my spirit when I went to the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville this past October. On a panel I went to, Myra McEntire (author of Hourglass) was asked by a member of the audience how an aspiring author could get published, like if they had to know someone in the business or what. Myra's answer?

Do. The. Work.

Myra said she didn't personally know anyone with a book out there who hadn't done the work. No work equaled no book equaled no completion of goal. Dreams require work. If something is really your dream, is really that huge glowing thing in distance you want to run at and realize, you must do the work, whatever that work may be.

For me, the work is writing the same scene fifteen times, hating and loving my story, dreaming about my characters but being unable to remember how to spell the weird names. My work is going to be face-punching self doubt, reading a book on craft because I can always write better, reading as many YA books as I can, supporting my fellow aspiring authors and those who have their books on the shelves, helping others reach their goals, and never forgetting that I am the only one who can make my dream a reality.

So I'm going to use this first of many steps, this feeling of forward motion and of great things to come, of having something so immense and beautiful waiting for me, to walk, run, stumble, and crawl through this journey.

To do the work.

Write Stuff [16] - NaNoWriMo Day 30

2011-11-30T20:45:00.001-06:00

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

For the month of November, Write Stuff will be my way of updating my NaNoWriMo progress here on the blog. Hope you enjoy the crazy!

Where I am in the writing process: I'm done! I reached 50,057 yesterday afternoon. I got more words in last year, but a win is a win! ^_^

My problem(s) today: Not a thing! Unless you count the fact that my novel, while meeting the 50k goal, is not finished. So, yeah, I have more writing to do.

What made me happy today: Successfully having completed NaNoWriMo meant I didn't have to write today! I took a nice break, read a book, stalked people on Twitter, lol.

Goal for tomorrow: Keep on truckin'. I don't like to think I've written 50k just to leave it there and not finish the thing to the end. The real reward is having a complete beginning-middle-end draft of a novel, so that's my goal for however long it takes me to reach the end of the story.

And now, my new NaNoWriMo badge! Yay!

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Quirk Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

2011-11-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

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

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Hourglass was one of those books I knew I would love. The reasons? First, the author, Myra McEntire, is hilarious on her Twitter feed and blog, as well as being generally awesome and generous. Second, Myra lives in Tennessee, and she set Hourglass in Tennessee. I love my home state, so yeah. Third, did you read the summary? I did. Possibly unstable girl due to tragedy + caring brother + mysterious guy + mystery to solve = right up my alley!

There was quite a lot of hype surrounding Hourglass, not just because of the story but LOOK at that cover. So normally I would be wary, but any worries were unfounded. Hourglass is simply a great, and unique, story.

McEntire writes in such a way as to make every description feel crisp and real without being flowery. All of her writing is that way, clean and clear so that I could picture every scene, every character. The neatness of the writing didn't take away from the emotional aspect either and I never felt like I needed more or that elements were undeveloped or incomplete.

In fact, I don't remember a single aspect of this book that was underdeveloped. The characters were all distinct and interesting. I knew exactly who Emerson was and loved her personality. I also loved that she had reasons for being the way she was and you could see that from her story. I also loved her brother and sister-in-law. Myra portrayed a family dealing with issues of the mental variety in a pretty realistic way.

Michael, the main love interest, had literal chemistry with Em and I loved it. He was definitely the good guy and I loved the back and forth between he and Emerson. Every moment between them felt right. He was the kind of book-boyfriend I wouldn't want for myself because he and Emerson belong together. Kaleb on the other hand...Kaleb was your good bad-boy. I adore Kaleb. He has that tough exterior/soft interior thing going on and I thought he was dreamy. Between him and Michael, there is a lot to swoon over in thi book.

The other characters, the members of The Hourglass and Emerson's best friend, Lily, were distinct as well, though they didn't show up as much as the rest of the cast. But, I love that they all had individual gifts, and what happens with Lily makes me excited and hopeful that she will be included more later in the series.

Something else I'm looking forward to is the continued timeslip element that revolves around Emerson and Michael's shared gift. That made this a very unique story, as time travel is not something that has really trended in YA yet (time travel does appear occasionally, as in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, but not usually as the main focus). I also loved how science came into it, but McEntire didn't drag it down with heavy terminology and kept it pretty understandable.

Overall, Hourglass has the familiar elements of teen romance and self-discovery while weaving a unique story about a unique girl and what she chooses to do with the power she has. This is a definite must-read. I loved it (and Myra McEntire) so much that I bought a copy for my friend Meg (of Myth-illogical) for her birthday and got both of our copies signed! If you ever get the chance to meet Myra or hear her speak, go do it because she is approachable and funny and so gracious.

And now for my *squee* moment:

Write Stuff [15] - NaNoWriMo Day 25

2011-11-25T08:28:00.001-06:00

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

For the month of November, Write Stuff will be my way of updating my NaNoWriMo progress here on the blog. Hope you enjoy the crazy!

Where I am in the writing process: I'm just over 40k, so I'm nearly done!

My problem(s) today: One thing I have learned about my writing process is that the closer I get to the end of my story, the longer my novel gets. I'm nearly at my word count for NaNoWriMo, but still have at least a third of an outline to get through. I guess that is reasonable, as most YA novels are not 50k words long, but it is frustrating!

What made me happy today: I'm not at work! I'm enjoying a nice four-day weekend at home after having a great Thanksgiving Day with family.

Goal for tomorrow: I hope to only have 5k or less words to write tomorrow. I usually take Friday's off from writing, but since I took yesterday off from it, I'm planning on making up for it today. I think I can get at least 5k if I work at it on and off while doing some housekeeping (the laundry runeth over, y'all). ^_^

If you're doing NaNoWriMo this year, leave your user name in the comments and I will make you my buddy! (My username is writerquirk, obvs. ^_^)

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [14] - NaNoWriMo Day 18

2011-11-18T19:29:00.001-06:00

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

For the month of November, Write Stuff will be my way of updating my NaNoWriMo progress here on the blog. Hope you enjoy the crazy!

Where I am in the writing process: I've got about 27.5k words, which means I've fallen a bit behind. Thank you, life, for getting in the way of my creative process!

My problem(s) today: I'm feeling angst-y, which is similar to antsy, but with more scowling. I want to write, but feel like I should be mad about something instead. I probably need to have a talk with myself about irrational emotions.

What made me happy today: Ice cream and brownies!

Goal for tomorrow: Catch up on my word count, and hopefully, if plans are work out, go see Breaking Dawn Part 1. I've heard so many many many things about it and I know it will be (probably ridiculously) awesome. And maybe get some Mexican food too. ^_^

If you're doing NaNoWriMo this year, leave your user name in the comments and I will make you my buddy! (My username is writerquirk, obvs. ^_^)

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [13] - NaNoWriMo Day 10

2011-11-10T19:10:00.001-06:00

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

For the month of November, Write Stuff will be my way of updating my NaNoWriMo progress here on the blog. Hope you enjoy the crazy!

Where I am in the writing process: I'm nearly 20k words in to this year's NaNoWriMo project, which is the sequel to last year's project, otherwise known as my unfinished rewrite. So that means I'm ahead of schedule! (Sooooooo not the case last year, lol.)

My problem(s) today: I'm feeling antsy. I, for some reason unbeknownst to myself, do not want to get started on today's writing session.

What made me happy today: Funny baby pictures. ^_^

Goal for tomorrow: Eat at the Japanese place I've been craving for like three weeks. I know this is not technically a writing goal, but hey, you never know what kind of inspiration might hit you at a Japanese restaurant. (Hopefully I don't get hit by a ninja.)

If you're doing NaNoWriMo this year, leave your user name in the comments and I will make you my buddy! (My username is writerquirk, obvs. ^_^)

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [12] - NaNoWriMo Day 1

2011-11-02T00:04:00.000-05:00

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [11]

2011-09-14T13:17:00.000-05:00

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process: Halfway through my rewrite, thanks to writing about five chapters in a short amount of time. So roughly 37k words right now.

My current problem(s): Epihanies. I know I'm going to have to change the beginning of my novel, and normally I'd be freaking out about how to do that, but I keep having ideas that I want to go ahead and implement but I can't because I'm trying to finish the stupid thing!

Sarah's ???: What are your favorite dual narrative novels?

My answer: I haven't read very many but in general I like them. I loved how the multiple narratives worked in the Midnighters Series by Scott Westerfeld. And even though the romance was too much for me, I liked having both Luc and Frannie's viewpoints in Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers. I like it when you see through the eyes of two different characters and you know their paths are going to cross. It just adds a lot of anticipation. It also works to add dramatic irony, which is always fun. Multiple POVs are less fun when they're necessary (think Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer) so the story can move along while one character is out of commission. But, again, I haven't met one I haven't liked...yet. ^_^

My ???: Have you ever considered writing a dual/multiple narrative novel?

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Missing the Boat

2011-09-11T21:24:00.000-05:00

Recently, I realized how many "boat" phrases appear in our (American) vernacular.

"Whatever floats your boat." "I'm on a boat!" "We're in the same boat."

"Don't rock the boat." "Just off the boat."

But for a YA writer, the idiom "missing the boat" is probably the one that is most relevant. As we're typing out our first, second, fourth, tenth draft of our novel, we're watching the shelves, the publishing mags, and the blogs with a slightly paranoid eye. When you've yet to be published, your book yet to be "out there," there is this sometimes feverish need to get it done so that you don't "miss the boat" in terms of book genre trends.

Many unpublished writers have heard the advice from their forerunners not to write for current trends, because by the time your book makes it into the hands of readers, that trend will likely be long past. And it was probably frustrating for all those with vampire novels in the works, whether in the early or late stages of publishing, to see Twilight take off like it did, creating a hurricane of trend that swept up their work with all the rest.

But what is a writer to do when their current project's genre hasn't trended yet?

My friend and critique partner, Meg from Myth-illogical, is writing a YA novel surrounding, well, myths, specifically of the Greek variety. So when she and I started seeing all these Greek myth oriented books appearing on blogs, well, I freaked a little bit. I had to know exactly what each of these books was about because I didn't want the ship to sail on Meg's type of story without Meg being on the boat!

And you know what books I'm talking about, don't you?

And the honorable mentions (because they were out before the trend):

But there is one key difference between all of these YA novels and their respective series and the one Meg is writing...and I'm not going to tell you what it is. I'll let you discover what it is yourself when it gets published. ^_^

(Just so you know, the first book - because it is going to be the first in a series - is quite awesome and I love it. Hence the overprotective book-stalking of those shown above.)

But because of this key difference, Meg has not missed the boat. Yet. She is working diligently to finish her book. But she's not the only one feeling the paranoia of "missing the boat."

Yep, me too.

But, as far as I can tell, I haven't missed the boat yet either. My current project has a magical base, but unless there is a giant trend in contemporary novels and a huge backlash against anything with magical/paranormal/supernatural themes, I should be okay. But I still have to wonder where my book will fit in if (when, WHEN) it gets published.

Judging by what has appeared in recent years, my novel may share some similar situations/themes/settings as these books:

Let's call them 1, 2, and 3, for simplicity's sake. Based on reviews/summaries of 1 and 3, and my own reading of 2, my main character is similar to the MC in 3, in that she has a magical heritage but does not do magic. My MC's view of magic is more like that of the MC from 1, but the magic itself is more like that in 2. The setting is also like 2, and so is the series arc of "something bad is going on in this world that needs to be stopped." And 2 also has some mean girl/betrayal things that are similar to mine.

There is romance (though I don't know which of these mine is most like in that aspect) and mine has tragedy similar to 1. Family dynamics are probably most like 3. But my story is not urban fantasy like 3, and there are no fey or creatures - part human or otherwise - in my story, like 1 and 2. And I'm pretty sure mine is twisty in a few ways that is not like any of these.

So, though my story has elements of each of these novels, in its entirety, mine is pretty different from each of them, and each of these books are also very different from each other. This gives me hope. Magic is a subject that is pretty much always there in YA, but because it is so variable from book to book, it is hard to define magic as a trend, especially when things like vampire, werewolf, fey, and angel novels are easier to recognize and lump together.

And though I know without a doubt that more YA books containing and revolving around magic are going to be published before mine ever will, I can't count my novel out yet. I think I will literally keep pushing at it until I see at least ten published books so like mine that it is uncanny. I'm going to keep writing, all the while hoping that I finish before I see that boat in the harbor, about to set sail without me for the ever-changing waters of the Sea of Trends.

What about you? Do trends affect how/what you write?

Have you "missed the boat" or are you ahead of the game?

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Write Stuff [10]

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process: Getting back to it. I'm trying to ignore what I've written thus far so I can finish the rewrite before NaNoWriMo in November.

My current problem(s): Just getting back in the swing of things. And not going back to make sure what I'm writing is inline with everything already written. I was taking a slower approach with the rewrite, but honestly, it is almost an entirely new draft, so I'm trying to take that mindset and not let editing get in my way.

Sarah's ???: How long do your breaks from writing last?

My answer: Usually several weeks. I wrote all through last November and half of December, took a break for about three months, then started up and didn't stop until a couple months ago because life was getting hectic the nearer my wedding got. But even during my fiction breaks, I still write, turning to personal essays, poetry, free-writing, whatever. I try to never stop-stop writing. But sometimes you just need a break from writing fiction because there is so much planning and and intentional thought involved.

My ???: Do you plan breaks from writing or do you just write when you feel like and not when you don't?

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Museday [6]

2011-09-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this duo here and instantly fell for them and their music. It took literally one song to inspire me. So who and what is it?

Today's Muse is...Like I'm Alive by Grand Vanity.

I really don't know how to describe Grand Vanity's music except that it rocks, but subtly. This song has a pretty long intro, building up in such a way that you are listening to every note and beat, waiting to see what's coming. Then the lyrics begin, and the take the same course as the music, slow and building then the chorus hits. And the crux of the song is whoever the singer is singing about makes him feel alive.

When I first heard this song, not only did I love it, but it gave me an almost instant visual, like a scene from a movie. The song's intro is playing, showing the MC of my novel at her locker. Something catches her attention and she looks up and toward the end of the hallway. Then we see her eyes widen, a look of awe spreading down her face. The camera then switches, showing the feet, boots most likely, of a guy, walking around the corner and into the hallway. His steps are in sync with the riffing guitar as the camera pans upward to show us that he is devilishly handsome, dressed impeccably, and headed right for the MC. Then (because I know what happens between them throughout the rest of the story...and no, I'm not telling *_^) as the chorus, the "You make me feel like I'm alive!" sounds with the guitar behind, I see a montage of all the moments from later on when he makes her feel alive.

So the song serves not only as an awesome intro for one of my characters, but it also explains why my MC is drawn to him, because he makes her feel alive. And also it's just an amazing song. ^_^

Unfortunately, I could not find a video playing this song, so below is the link to Grand Vanity's Myspace page. I hope you visit and listen to their music, especially "Like I'm Alive," which is listed second on their track list.

Grand Vanity @ Myspace Music

A Letter to Writer Quirk Readers

2011-09-04T17:32:00.000-05:00

My fellow quirks,

Change happens, and it is happening to Writer Quirk.

When I started Writer Quirk, it was about, well, writing. I had, as a writer, determined to focus on writing YA and actually make something of it instead of just writing here and there and having files gather dust on my computer. I had stumbled upon blogs, both about YA books and writing YA, and decided to jump in, mainly to join a writing meme hosted by Sarah over at Confessions of the Unpublished.

Then I began seeing all these book blogs, and it looked like so much fun, so I started following the blogs and joined the routine: reviews, features, memes, followers, giveaways, etc. And it was fun. And then I took a break, because I couldn't keep up. And then I got back into it, and tried to be like all the greats out there, and book blogging became extremely time and energy consuming.

And I just can't keep it up.

Okay, let me qualify. I have the time, the energy, and the desire to blog. I just don't have the time/energy/desire to book blog.

From what all the great YA book bloggers say (there are many successful ones with how-to tips on book blogging), a great book blog worthy of a following should have regular postings, great content, a blogger behind it who is involved (commenting, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and more.

I tried. I really did. I wanted to have a great book blog, but honestly, I cannot keep up in the world of YA book blogging. To speak honestly, I, as a book blogger, cannot really offer up much in the way of new or better content than the thousands of other YA book bloggers out there. I maybe had a different take or voice on things, but really, the only thing truly different was me, personally, and what I thought about the books I read.

And I don't want to lose the joy of blogging, but unfortunately, when you are one small blog among so many, many great ones, it is hard to focus on the fun of it and not trying to be as good as the rest. It is hard enough trying to keep up with the Jones' of the blogging community, especially when your offline life is rather full. I now have a husband, and I also have a disabled mother and an elderly father, several pets, a full time job, four church commitments, and a novel I'm trying to finish before the next NaNoWriMo in November. Book blogging was stressing me out, and the thought of returning to it even now that life sans wedding plans has calmed a bit, is distressing.

In other words, I can't really afford to do anything that I don't feel 100% about, and I just don't feel 100% about book blogging.

But I do feel 100% about this blog, so Writer Quirk is not going away. Things are just changing.

I am no longer going to classify Writer Quirk as a book blog.

That might sound like quite an insignificant change, but it's a little bigger than it seems.

Let's face it; no matter how much a blogger loves YA, much of a blogger's energy is so that GFC count will grow. There are very few people who enter the blogging world to share their opinions to an audience of zero. I know I didn't. But I also didn't start out thinking I was going to be creating posts just aimed at gaining followers. I will concede that those posts also served other functions, but I was operating under the mindset that if I didn't do this or that, I wouldn't gain/retain followers.

I love YA, but I love the rest of my life too, and the blog had gotten off-track from where I had intended it to be. But I'm not going to let those things drive my blog anymore. This gives me more freedom to post what and when I want to since I'm no longer going to be trying to keep up with the standard for YA book blogs. I'm sure most of you know this, but the YA book blogging community has pretty substantial standards for YA book blogs, and those that are deemed great operate at quite a high level and constant, and sometimes feverish, pace (depending on if you blog ahead of time and schedule or do it week by week). I have always blogged (on other blogs) in more of a laid-back manner, going with the flow of my mind rather than on a timetable, producing content on a certain schedule. There's nothing wrong with the way the book blogging operates. I'm still following all the book blogs on my feed because I still love the YA book blogging community. But book blogging is just not the course for me.

So, Writer Quirk is headed back to its roots. I am going to continue blogging here about my journey as a YA writer, which will include more personal content (though not too personal, of course). And when I feel like, I'm going to review YA I read. Because I still read YA. Of course I do. I wouldn't be writing it if I didn't read it and love it. And I hope you'll continue with me as I head on this renewed path.

I want to thank each and every reader, follower, commenter, blogger, for joining me here. I know many of you only follow or are only interested in book blogs, and since Writer Quirk is no longer that, I completely understand if you remove me from your feeds. That's why I wrote this, so that those who came for the regular reviews, memes, content, etc., could know I wasn't trying to hoodwink them by not doing those things anymore.

But if you want to stay tuned to see if a YA writer can become a YA author, and ride with me on the roller coaster that is writing, please do. It's always better to travel with friends than without them.

With all my writerly heart,

Shalena

Quirk Review: Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

2011-08-31T00:00:00.004-05:00

From Goodreads:

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?

I received an uncorrected proof of Ultraviolet through NetGalley. And boy, am I glad. I had seen reviews of this by other bloggers that didn't, or couldn't, say much about what they'd read except the fact that this book was awesome. The back-of-the-book blurb hooked me, and the several five-star ratings prompted me to add it to my to-be-read list. Then I saw it on NetGalley and clicked the request button quicker than I could have thought possible. Thankfully, I was approved, and I love love love this book.

Like those who have reviewed before me, I don't want to say much because A.) I don't want to give anything away, and B.) I want to get it as soon as possible and read it for yourself. Still, I'll try to give some vague indications of my thoughts, in case the love love love isn't enough.

First, the writing is poetic and engrossing and makes you want to paint your walls with the words because they are so beautiful. The descriptions and raw emotion got me so inside the mind of Alison, the MC, I felt like I was there by her side through everything. I yearned for her to reach her goals and figure out what was going on as much as she did.

All of the characters felt real to me, like I knew someone just like each one of them. The story itself, well, if I told you it wouldn't be any fun for you! Suffice it to say Anderson peppered clues and mysteries throughout so I never got bored. One minute I'd be wondering about this, the next about that, and before I knew it I was getting some answers. Of course, the answers only raised more questions, so the cycle of give and take between the story and myself was a good one that was not at all frustrating to me.

The only thing I could say that sounds somewhat negative (but really isn't) is that some of the flashbacks or relived memories (yes, there are those but trust me, they are great and very relevant to what goes on) were a little description heavy and slowed me down in my quest to learn what had led Alison to be where she is. But honestly, the heavy description is very true to Alison's character, so I wouldn't change it. It was basically me just being impatient and wanting to know so badly what was going rather than anything Anderson should have done differently.

Ultraviolet is an amazing ride and one that I enjoyed thoroughly (and will enjoy again, I am sure). There were so many different ways the story could have gone and overall I was very pleased with the how it all happened and how it ended, even though it might catch some people off guard with the direction it took. But trust me, it is a book worthy of any shelf and a reader needs to pay attention when reading. In a world with Ultraviolet, things are not always as they seem.

Quirk Update - Hiatus

2011-07-17T22:51:00.002-05:00

I would love to be one of those bloggers who, through every peak and valley of life, is able to consistently post quality content.

But I'm not.

So, my dear quirks, I am taking a hiatus. My wedding and honeymoon are next month, so I will busy with all of that and it will be a weight off my mind having one less item on my proverbial plate - even though it is one that I love doing and will miss over these next several weeks.

I have something special planned for the stateside release of a ridiculously awesome novel that I read recently, so my return will coincide with that at the end of August/beginning of September.

As always, thanks for being amazing and I will see you all before we know it! ^_^

~Shalena

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [10]

2011-07-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome blog hoppers!

I hope you enjoy your visit here at Writer Quirk!

^_^

FFQ: ?????

WQA: ?????

BBHQ: ????

WQA: ????

If you enjoy what you see enough to follow, please also
"Like" the Writer Quirk Facebook page!

Thanks for visiting!

Working Writer Wednesday [9]

2011-07-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

I personally feel overtly explicit writing (detailed descriptions of sex, how to make or use drugs, and the foulest of words) should not be used. It is not that I don't want YA to be realistic, I just believe it can be realistic without having to delve into the dirty details. If I was that age again, it wouldn't matter what I was doing in my own life, reading these things in a book would either not interest me or make me blush furiously. I don't remember knowing anyone in high school who cussed like a sailor all the time or spoke in detail about their sex lives or drug use. I'm also from The South, so that probably is a factor.

I understand mentioning these things, especially when these things have bearing on the story or the characters. Also, if something is only mentioned once, like a detailed scene of sexual violence, however difficult it would be to actually read it (I probably couldn't - I can't watch Law & Order: SVU) that is not as objectionable as continued and prolonged exposure within a novel to overtly explicit material. Drugs don't bother me so much unless the lifestyle is being glamorized, and the curses don't much either, as long as they are sparing or in a context that makes sense (i.e. not just cursing to be "edgy"). But even the most graceful depictions of sex (I'm thinking along the lines of Graceling by Kristin Cashore) make me uncomfortable as an adult. I feel like sex is private, even between fictional beings, so I'm not into hearing all that stuff, especially if the act is between teenagers (kid porn much???) I'm all for talking about sex in the right context or in vague or "fade to black" terms, but the nitty-gritty I don't need. This may be due to how, IMHO, television sort of sets the standard for "normal" in the US. Sex is only truly graphic on stations like HBO, but language and drug stuff show up on every cable and network channel at one point or another.

Another factor that ties in to my view is that I'm a firm believer in "garbage-in, garbage-out," mainly because I have seen it in my own life. I don't feel that teens need to see an f-bomb in every paragraph to know that people curse. What you see every day can cause you to create habits that are not part of you naturally (think of all the beautiful = skinny garbage we are fed on nearly every TV commercial) so I'm not really comfortable with giving an age group of people who are growing into their bodies and minds (and won't fully develop physically at least until late teens and mentally/emotionally until sometime in their twenties - blame it on my educational psychology class) excesses of anything, no matter what media (books, TV, etc.) it may appear in.

But, as my dad pointed out to me once when we were almost hit by a semi-truck and he spouted a couple curses of his own, in certain intense or horrifying or shocking situations, intense expletives fit and can come out of even the cleanest of mouths. I've seen used needles on a city street and know people who have used various narcotics (and seen what they were like under the influence), so I know drugs do happen, and it is likely most teens will encounter them. Sex also happens more than most parents would be happy about. But if a teen or tween (since most book stores categorize YA as between 12-18) is really interested in reading about that stuff, or learning about it or seeing it, they don't have to get it from the YA book section. I would prefer them not to. Novels are about stories, about characters, and if drugs or explicit language or sex happens in those stories like it happens in real life, then fine. Life and people aren't perfect so neither will the lives and personalities of characters in novels. But it is not necessary in YA lit to be explicit.

One final thought: Of the many YA books I have read, most are not explicit enough to comment on. But one series always sticks in my mind when it comes to this issue, and that is the House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. In several places I've seen it shelved with adult books. I think this is telling because some in the bookselling and library industries recognize that even though there are teenage characters in the books, the story within goes beyond what I would consider reasonable for YA. I would not at all want this series near a shelf where a twelve or thirteen or fourteen or really even a fifteen year old person could expect to find novels. I actually liked the story and was highly interested in it, but I quit reading because I felt like I was having to wade through a sea of muck to reach an entertaining story. And I was 21 and just past my crazy college days. Maybe I'm just more sensitive, but I think there are more constructive, meaningful ways a teen or tween can learn about sex and drugs and the other crazy things that people get up to. I probably could go on, but I'm going to stop there. ^_^

My ???: Have you ever not been able to finish a series or book because it was too explicit? Do you think overly explicit books that are normally considered YA should be shelved elsewhere? Let me know your thoughts!

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Quirk Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

2011-07-12T21:15:00.000-05:00

From Goodreads:

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Hex Hall was one of those books that, for me, I loved the cover but was wary of the story. It sounded typical but with the elements of magic and creatures that I loved, but I was afraid of where the book my lead. But I am so so so glad I read it!

(Note: There is a bit of a rant in there, with potential minor spoilers from Hex Hall, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, and Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, so if you haven’t read these, be wary.)

First, I love Hawkins’ style of writing. Sophie’s story is from her own POV, and not at any point did I catch a whiff of Hawkins’ butting in to use Sophie as a mouth-piece to give the reader information, which I heartily appreciate. The writing was also clear and flowed well. I could see that had Hawkins’ been a lesser writer, the story could have come off completely juvenile. But the writing, while easy to read, was not over-simplified and fit Sophie‘s character as well as the overall tone of the story.

Second, from the first page, I knew exactly the kind of girl Sophie was. Her voice was so distinct and realistic and she completely drew me into the story. I loved Sophie as a character because she is good at heart but kind of a screw-up, she has parent issues, and she gets through it all with plenty of snark. My kind of girl, to put it more directly.

I really loved the progression Sophie makes throughout the novel and how every time she is tested, she comes through a little stronger on the other side. That being said, she still comes across as a very human girl, so she doesn’t always escape without a few injuries. It made the situations Sophie gets into and how she feels about them seem real, even among all the paranormal stuff going on.

Third, I really loved all the other characters. They were distinct without being too flat or stereotypical. Elodie and her groupies were a little over the top at times, but what are you supposed to expect from a group of delinquent witches? Archer was pretty swoon-worthy as well, though I wished Cal had come into the story more. I know he does in the next book, but Hawkins did a good job mentioning him in such a way as to let the reader know to keep an eye on him.

But my favorite side character was Jenna. She was a perfect fit for Sophie’s best friend and I love how she is not your stereotypical vampire. She was very much her own person yet showed the emotions you would expect of someone going through what she was going through.

And though this might get me a bit of hate mail, I liked how Jenna being a lesbian didn’t get the front-and-center attention like I have seen in most books featuring homosexual characters. What I mean is, often when I read books featuring a prominent gay character, the character’s homosexuality is what is most evident about them. For instance, when I think of certain characters from the House of Night series, I think of them as the gay characters. Same is true with characters from the Southern Vampire Mysteries, the Nightshade series, and The Mortal Instruments. While those characters may fit a role other than being the token gay character(s), that aspect of them is what is mentioned or focused on the most.

The problem with this is the same problem I see in the real world: focusing on one aspect of a person, putting a label on them, keeps you from seeing them as a complete, true, whole person. Sure, Alec in The Mortal Instruments does fight alongside Jace and Isabelle and help save the day, but his big interaction with the MC, Clary, is about being gay, so that is what I remember. A lot of the drama in the wolf packs in Nightshade stems from there being a homosexual couple in the packs and a gay Keeper, and that is what I remember because a giant spotlight is shown on that. Really, most characters, even well-written ones, have one “label” or another that makes people remember them in a certain way or light.

But Hawkins’ did not do this. It gets mentioned (more than once and in ways that didn't halt the story) that Jenna is a lesbian, but because Hawkins’ does not try to drill this into the reader’s brain or make an issue of it, what I remember of Jenna is how she is Sophie’s awesome best friend. And when it is brought up again, I am not surprised or annoyed because, again, Hawkins’ makes it flow naturally into the story. I don’t like to be force-fed a politically correct cast of characters because the author wants to make a point or push an agenda. Obviously gay people exist in the world, so it only makes sense that they would exist in literature. Same with minorities, the handicapped, the mentally ill, and any other kind of labeled person you can think of. But the way Hawkins’ makes Jenna a complete and genuine character who has flaws and hopes and a personality that doesn’t require you to label her (other than the vampire thing, because she is no longer technically human) makes me love Jenna for who she is completely and appreciate Hawkins’ as an author.

Hawkins’ even makes the “labels are evil” thing sort of a theme in the novel because Jenna gets a lot of flack for being a vampire. People suspect her and accuse her and expect only certain things of her because of it. But Jenna knows she is more than a label, and so does Sophie. It gives me a certain respect for Hawkins’ that she is able to push beyond this idea that diversity in literature is gained by making characters fit this label or that instead of just making characters who are just who they are. I don’t want to remember someone because of a label, I want to remember them because of the kind of person they are, the choices they make, how they treat others, and how they impact the world around them.

Okay, rant over. ^_^ Back to the story.

The part of Hex Hall that I was most worried about, the plot, was way better than I had anticipated! I loved that I thought I knew how everything was going to work and happen but I really had no idea. Things happened that I never saw coming and I was really glad it was that way because it gave extra depth to the otherwise fun novel.

Overall, I really liked Hex Hall. It had engaging characters, great writing, and a fun, fast, and unpredictable plot. The only thing I would say is that it wasn’t completely unputdownable. I would stop for a while and it was only when I returned to the book that I would remember how awesome it was, but while the book was closed, it didn’t particularly stick with me or have me rushing back to it. But I am so glad I read it and any fan of YA paranormal will likely enjoy it. I am already reading the sequel, Demonglass, and am glad to be back in Sophie’s world.

AWESOME TOUR and GIVEAWAY!

2011-07-12T00:46:00.000-05:00

When I heard about this tour, featuring some fellow Tennessee authors whose books I'm desperately wanting to read, I freaked a little. Jazz hands and jumping around and all. Then I checked the dates and times and I am so going!!!

These fabulous people are also hosting a ridiculous giveaway (ridiculous in a very very good way) so go check it out and if you happen to be in the area, go see them on tour! I know from Myra McEntire's blog she is hilarious and both she and Victoria Schwab have big hearts (seeing as they helped raise money for flood victims last year with Do the Write Thing for Nasvhille) and their books are also some of the most anticipated of 2011.

Why are you still reading this??? Go check it out! ^_^

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [9]

2011-07-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome blog hoppers!

I hope you enjoy your visit here at Writer Quirk!

^_^

Today is Captain Italian's birthday so I may be a little invisible this weekend.
But don't worry, I will catch up with you guys later!

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BBHQ: ????

WQA: ????

If you enjoy what you see enough to follow, please also
"Like" the Writer Quirk Facebook page!

Thanks for visiting!

Working Writer Wednesday [8]

2011-07-05T22:54:00.000-05:00

Working Writer Wednesday is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process: Still not much of anywhere. Life is getting in the way. >.<

My current problem(s): I haven't felt like writing. I've been thinking about, planning stuff out in my head, but with so much going on, I honestly just don't want to. I think I'm scared to go back and look at the mess I left for myself and I'm so zapped I just don't have the brain power to deal. I've been coming up with a lot of great scenes/conversations for the next book in the series, like that helps me any right now.

Sarah's ???: How do I get back my motivation?

My answer: I understand this dilemma all too well. The only thing I can think, if you are really wanting to push yourself on through this slump, is to set goals and give yourself rewards. The National Novel Writing Month spinoff, Camp NaNoWriMo, is finally open. So now you can have the same benefits of NaNoWriMo any month you want. Part of that is the knowledge you have a deadline to meet. Also, have rewards mapped out for yourself for when you reach certain goals. If it is buying a new book, going shopping, taking a nap, watching TV, whatever, just give yourself something for all the effort.

Word wars are another great thing you can do. Find someone, whether in person or online, you can compete with to see who can write the most words in a given amount of time. Set up a word war session and get typing, even if it is against your own personal best record. Once you are doing these things, the true motivation should return. I found NaNoWriMo to be exhilarating and word wars super-productive, and getting so much accomplished made me just want to do more.

My ???: Have you ever thought about entering into National Novel Writing Month? Have you participated in the past?

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Giveaway Highlight: Wildefire ARC Giveaway

2011-07-03T02:04:00.000-05:00

Carolina Valdez Miller has posted a great review of Wildefire by Karsten Knight

and is giving away a Wildefire ARC!

Enter here!

Writer Quirk

Quirk Review: Mastiff (Beka Cooper #3) by Tamora Pierce

Quirk Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Quirk Review: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Quirk Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor

Quirk Review: The Revenant by Sonia Gensler

Giveaway Highlight: Book Nerd Reviews

Writer Quirk Birthday Giveaway Winners!

Quirk Review: Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

Quirk Review: Carrier of the Mark (Carrier Trilogy #1) by Leigh Fallon

A Picture-a-Day Keeps Me Writing Away

Quirk Review: Bloodhound (Beka Cooper #2) by Tamora Pierce

Write Stuff [17]

Giveaway Highlight: Rafflecopter

Writer Quirk Birthday Giveaway!

Quirk Review: Terrier (Beka Cooper #1) by Tamora Pierce

Giveaway Highlight: Book Nerd Reviews

2012 Reading Challenge

2012 Reading Challenge

Quirk Review: The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson

Favority-Fave Reads of 2011

From Where I'm Standing [5] - 2011: The Year of Awesome

Quirk Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Quirk Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

25 Days of Jubilation! - Books Most Wanted

From Where I'm Standing [4] - The First of Many

Write Stuff [16] - NaNoWriMo Day 30

Quirk Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Write Stuff [15] - NaNoWriMo Day 25

Write Stuff [14] - NaNoWriMo Day 18

Write Stuff [13] - NaNoWriMo Day 10

Write Stuff [12] - NaNoWriMo Day 1

Write Stuff [11]

Missing the Boat

Write Stuff [10]

Museday [6]

A Letter to Writer Quirk Readers

Quirk Review: Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

Quirk Update - Hiatus

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [10]

Working Writer Wednesday [9]

Quirk Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

AWESOME TOUR *and* GIVEAWAY!

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [9]

Working Writer Wednesday [8]

Giveaway Highlight: Wildefire ARC Giveaway

AWESOME TOUR and GIVEAWAY!