Wow! This was easily the biggest, most successful, and most fun giveaway I've ever done here at the Bookshelf. Thank you for making this so awesome, guys! The response surprised me so much I added TWO extra prizes, one of which I announced here, and the other of which I'm announcing right now: a This is Teen flashdrive loaded with videos by Libba Bray, Meg Cabot, and Maggie Stiefvater talking about their teen years! (You can delete the videos and use the flashdrive for regular file storage, too.)
And now, to announce the winners! The first number picked by Random.org was #14,
Jared Q.!
Congratulations, Jared! You get first choice of a signed hardcover copy of Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton, a signed hardcover copy of Forever by Maggie Stiefvater, or a hardcover copy of The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan. The second and third numbers I drew were #17 and #79,
Yan and Michelle O'Boyle!
You win second and third choices of the books above, respectively. First and second choices of the swag - signed The Scorpio Races and This is Teen postcards from Maggie Stiefvater and the This is Teen flashdrive - go to #87 and #21,
Jasmine Rose and Jessica Secret!
Again, congratulations, everyone, and thanks for being such good sports! I'll be sending out your emails as soon as this post goes live. You'll have until around noon on Labor Day Monday to reply before I draw a new name. Happy reading, and enjoy!
September 2, 2011
September 1, 2011
Happy Release Day, Brooklyn, Burning!
When you're sixteen and no one understands who you are, sometimes the only choice left is to run. If you're lucky, you'll find a place that accepts you, no questions asked. And if you're really lucky, that place has a drum set, a place to practice, and a place to sleep. For Kid, the streets of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, are that place. Over the course of two scorching summers, Kid falls hopelessly in love and then loses nearly everything and everyone worth caring about. But as summer draws to a close, Kid finally finds someone who can last beyond the sunset.And also boogie as fast as you can to your local indie (or bookseller of choice) - because guess what? It releases today! Happy birthday, Brooklyn, Burning, and congratulations on a job well done, Steve Brezenoff. I hope this book finds the audience it richly deserves - it was definitely one of my YA favorites of this or any year. Happy reading!
August 31, 2011
Mini-reviews: The Freak Observer and The Sky is Everywhere
Seeing as I am waaaay behind on my reviews and I don't have too much coherent to say about either of these books except "READ THEM NOW," I figured I'd use mini-review format. (I'd actually love input on this in the comments. Do you prefer to read shorter mini-reviews or my longer, in-depth rants and raves?) Anyway, here are two awesome books in the contemporary genre you really should read if you haven't already! They're the perfect way to help start the Realistic YA revolution!
The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston
Goodreads | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble
Review:
I don't even know how to begin to tackle this one. It was beautiful, sad, and wondrously strange all at once, and while I was disappointed in the ending, one of the most memorable and atmospheric books I've read all year. It was the kind of book I had to let stew in the back of my mind for hours before I could even begin to form real opinions, and that was refreshing between all of the popcorn-y things I read this summer. Grueling, but refreshing.
In everything, from its quirky and dark characters to its slightly depressing small-town setting to the fractured feel of the narrative, it's obvious this is an "art" book over a "sales" book. And on one hand I love it, because I've seen an awful lot of "sales" books this year and very few "art" books and I always love to see a good story told for a good story's sake. On the other hand, as I mentioned, I was disappointed in the lack of a solid ending. It felt like that indie movie that confuses an "open ending" with "no ending at all."
Still, it's unusual and strikingly well-written enough to warrant a wholehearted recommendation from me, especially because it's one of the first books I've seen to feature a Manic Pixie Dream BOY love interest. Yay! (If you don't know what the Manic Pixie archetype is, you should read these fantastic posts from Jezebel and S. Jae-Jones.)
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Goodreads | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble
Occasionally I find a much-hyped book that is nothing like what I expected, and 100x better because of it. The Sky is Everywhere is absolutely that book. If, like me, you were expecting a moody brooding tear-jerking meditation on grief, then you will no doubt be pleasantly surprised and astonished (like me) by the laugh-out-loud funny and frank story we get instead. Don't get me wrong, the moody brooding thing is all well and good, but funny and frank is much more rare and difficult to do and something I think is sorely needed in YA. Three cheers!
That's not to say this book doesn't have its melancholy moments - in fact, despite my denial that this was a tear-jerker, I totally cried - but it balances them so well with snarky, funny, sexy, painfully spot-on ones that I finished the whole book in a sitting, wishing it would never end. I have seen the snarky narrator much maligned on the blogosphere of late, but it's certainly not something I'm sick of and I can't even imagine this book without it.
Best of all, this book is as smart as it is funny and sad and made me challenge as many of my own beliefs about sex, love, and grief as Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler did. A book that can inspire discussion as well as it entertains and delights is a good book in my book, and The Sky is Everywhere fits the bill perfectly. Five out of five stars.
Goodreads | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble
- Why I read it: cover love, physics geek, PTSD, small towns, grief and loss
- Disclosure: Borrowed a copy from my local library. FTW.
The Freak Observer is rich in family drama, theoretical physics, and an unusual, tough young woman Loa Lindgren. When her younger sister dies, 16-year-old Loa's clockwork galaxy collapses. As she spins off on her own, Loa's mind ambushes her with vivid nightmares and sadistic flashbacks a textbook case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But there are no textbook fixes for Loa's short-circuiting brain. If she keeps her eyes open and her neurons busy, there's less chance for her imagination to brew up nightmares and panic attacks. Maybe then she'll be able to pry her world from the clutches of death. The Freak Observer is a startling debut about death, life, astrophysics, and finding beauty in chaos.
Review:
I don't even know how to begin to tackle this one. It was beautiful, sad, and wondrously strange all at once, and while I was disappointed in the ending, one of the most memorable and atmospheric books I've read all year. It was the kind of book I had to let stew in the back of my mind for hours before I could even begin to form real opinions, and that was refreshing between all of the popcorn-y things I read this summer. Grueling, but refreshing.
In everything, from its quirky and dark characters to its slightly depressing small-town setting to the fractured feel of the narrative, it's obvious this is an "art" book over a "sales" book. And on one hand I love it, because I've seen an awful lot of "sales" books this year and very few "art" books and I always love to see a good story told for a good story's sake. On the other hand, as I mentioned, I was disappointed in the lack of a solid ending. It felt like that indie movie that confuses an "open ending" with "no ending at all."
Still, it's unusual and strikingly well-written enough to warrant a wholehearted recommendation from me, especially because it's one of the first books I've seen to feature a Manic Pixie Dream BOY love interest. Yay! (If you don't know what the Manic Pixie archetype is, you should read these fantastic posts from Jezebel and S. Jae-Jones.)
Goodreads | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble
- Why I read it: Horny teenagers are horny, freaks and geeks, grief and loss, BFFs, snarky narrators
- Disclosure: Won a copy in a contest. Thanks!
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.Review:
This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable
Occasionally I find a much-hyped book that is nothing like what I expected, and 100x better because of it. The Sky is Everywhere is absolutely that book. If, like me, you were expecting a moody brooding tear-jerking meditation on grief, then you will no doubt be pleasantly surprised and astonished (like me) by the laugh-out-loud funny and frank story we get instead. Don't get me wrong, the moody brooding thing is all well and good, but funny and frank is much more rare and difficult to do and something I think is sorely needed in YA. Three cheers!
That's not to say this book doesn't have its melancholy moments - in fact, despite my denial that this was a tear-jerker, I totally cried - but it balances them so well with snarky, funny, sexy, painfully spot-on ones that I finished the whole book in a sitting, wishing it would never end. I have seen the snarky narrator much maligned on the blogosphere of late, but it's certainly not something I'm sick of and I can't even imagine this book without it.
Best of all, this book is as smart as it is funny and sad and made me challenge as many of my own beliefs about sex, love, and grief as Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler did. A book that can inspire discussion as well as it entertains and delights is a good book in my book, and The Sky is Everywhere fits the bill perfectly. Five out of five stars.
August 30, 2011
Giveaway extension + an extra prize!
Like a boss, I forgot to announce both the official deadline of my Maggie Stiefvater + Tessa Gratton giveaway, as well as the extra prize I was throwing in because ZOMG, I broke 150 followers, guys! *throws confetti* *does happy dance*
So here's the skinny: you now have until 11:59 pm Wednesday, August 31st to enter the giveaway, which you can find here. I'll count the entries and announce the winner the next day. I don't know about you, but I'm excited!
In addition, I will be drawing one extra name for a prize: a copy of The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan! I hate to let this one go and was planning on saving it for some future giveaway at an undetermined date, but after all the awesome support you guys have given me for this giveaway I can't really justify leaving it to languish on my shelf. I was so devastated when Lisa passed away earlier this year, so passing more of the love for her books around seems like the best way to go!
Plus, throwing in a few mermaids to keep all those werewolves and witches company can't hurt.
Again, you can find the giveaway page here, and happy reading!
In addition, I will be drawing one extra name for a prize: a copy of The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan! I hate to let this one go and was planning on saving it for some future giveaway at an undetermined date, but after all the awesome support you guys have given me for this giveaway I can't really justify leaving it to languish on my shelf. I was so devastated when Lisa passed away earlier this year, so passing more of the love for her books around seems like the best way to go!
Plus, throwing in a few mermaids to keep all those werewolves and witches company can't hurt.
Again, you can find the giveaway page here, and happy reading!
August 29, 2011
Middle Grade Monday: Gregor the Overlander, the Redux
You might remember my original Middle Grade Monday post on these books from over a year ago (!!!), but as I now have a resident expert middle grade reader on hand (a.k.a. my sister Ellie) to share her thoughts on one of her favorite series. Also be sure to check out her new grading system, using letters instead of stars! Take it away, Ellie!
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Goodreads | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble
When 11 year old Gregor and his 2 year old sister Boots falls through a grate in there apartment they land among giant Bats, Spiders, Rats, Cockroaches and normal sized humans. All he wants to do is go home but when he find out that he might be a chance that his father who has been missing for 2 years might be there, he starts on a quest that he might not finish.
This book kept me reading till midnight and quite often to my sister saying “time for bed” and my response “just one more chapter!” I loved the characters and there names and the story. Collins is able to make it real (by real I mean checking your Landry room grate for rats) and keep the pace. I found every thing I was looking for in this book. Plus more. I wished this book never ended. If this book was a person I would marry it. Seriously! I’d give this book: A+
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Thanks, Ellie! I couldn't agree more. See you next week!
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