Twitter-sized bite:
Can books really be scary? Join the discussion on Gabe's (@Ava_Jae) channel. (Click to tweet)
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Vlog: Can Books Be Scary?
It's Halloween...tomorrow! So today I'm posing a question I haven't answered for myself: can books be scary?
Vlog: 5 Queer Books by Queer Authors I'm Excited About
It's Pride Month! So for fun today I'm talking about queer books by queer authors I'm excited to read—and so should you be.
RELATED LINKS:
RELATED LINKS:
- Pre-order THE RISING GOLD at B&N
- Pre-order THE RISING GOLD at AMZ
- 5 Great Books on My TBR Shelf
- QUEENS OF GEEK by Jen Wilde
- WHITE RABBIT by Caleb Roehrig
- OF FIRE AND STARS by Audrey Coulthurst
- THE APOCALYPSE OF ELENA MENDOZA by Shawn David Hutchinson
- THE SPY WITH THE RED BALLOON by Katherine Locke
What queer books are you excited to read this year?
Twitter-sized bite:
It's Pride month! Want to support queer books written by queer authors? @Ava_Jae shares some great options. (Click to tweet)
I Have Been Terrible at Reading
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| Photo credit: malias on Flickr |
So what this means is I actually own a lot of books I want to read—my physical TBR shelf is nothing to scoff at. But what I have an abundance of in books I lack in time and energy.
I try to cut myself some slack. I know I have approximately a million things going on right now—grad school, part time job, book edits, my social life, etc. So it makes sense that I might find it slightly difficult to squeeze time in there to read, but that doesn't stop the part of my brain that makes it clear in no uncertain terms that my reading lag is some kind of personal failure.
Granted, I know that's not true, but it still feels not great to not be reading much when you're fully aware of how important reading is in your field and also you want to.
Anyway, sometimes schedules don't line up the way we'd like and make reading more difficult—and I'd like to acknowledge that, because I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm hopeful things will be easier on the other side of book deadlines and finals but...we'll see.
Do you ever struggle to squeeze reading into your schedules?
Twitter-sized bite:
Do you ever struggle to squeeze reading into your schedule? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
Vlog: 5 Great Books on my TBR
What books am I excited to read these days? Let's talk!
RELATED LINKS:
RELATED LINKS:
- ALL OUT by Saundra Mitchell
- CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi
- THE LOVE INTEREST by Cale Dietrich
- LOVE, HATE, AND OTHER FILTERS by Samira Ahmed
- THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera
- 5 Books You Should Read
- Where to Find Books to Read
What books are you excited to read?
Twitter-sized bite:
Want more books to add to your TBR? Of course you do! Check out @Ava_Jae's vlog on 5 books they're psyched to read. (Click to tweet)
10 2018 Books to Be Psyched About
I have been woefully behind on keeping up with 2018 books I want to read, in part because I'm drowning in 2017 (and earlier) books I still want to read and in part because life has been overwhelming. But it is now 2018! And there are amazing books entering the world! So let's talk about books I'm excited about—and then I want to hear all about the ones you're excited about, so I can add to my pitifully small 2018 TBR. Yes? Yes.
In order of publication!
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Love, Hate, & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
YA Contemporary
January 16
"A searing #OwnVoices coming-of-age debut in which an Indian-American Muslim teen confronts Islamophobia and a reality she can neither explain nor escape--perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Jacqueline Woodson, and Adam Silvera.
American-born seventeen-year-old Maya Aziz is torn between worlds. There’s the proper one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter: attending a college close to their suburban Chicago home, and being paired off with an older Muslim boy her mom deems “suitable.” And then there is the world of her dreams: going to film school and living in New York City—and maybe (just maybe) pursuing a boy she’s known from afar since grade school, a boy who’s finally falling into her orbit at school.
There’s also the real world, beyond Maya’s control. In the aftermath of a horrific crime perpetrated hundreds of miles away, her life is turned upside down. The community she’s known since birth becomes unrecognizable; neighbors and classmates alike are consumed with fear, bigotry, and hatred. Ultimately, Maya must find the strength within to determine where she truly belongs."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
YA Fantasy
February 6
"Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.
With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson
YA Fantasy
February 6
"Sixteen-year-old Elena Mendoza is the product of a virgin birth.
This can be scientifically explained (it’s called parthenogenesis), but what can’t be explained is how Elena is able to heal Freddie, the girl she’s had a crush on for years, from a gunshot wound in a Starbucks parking lot. Or why the boy who shot Freddie, David Combs, disappeared from the same parking lot minutes later after getting sucked up into the clouds. What also can’t be explained are the talking girl on the front of a tampon box, or the reasons that David Combs shot Freddie in the first place.
As more unbelievable things occur, and Elena continues to perform miracles, the only remaining explanation is the least logical of all—that the world is actually coming to an end, and Elena is possibly the only one who can do something about it."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Saundra Mitchell
YA Anthology
February 27
"Take a journey through time and genres and discover a past where queer figures live, love and shape the world around them. Seventeen of the best young adult authors across the queer spectrum have come together to create a collection of beautifully written diverse historical fiction for teens.
From a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood set in war-torn 1870s Mexico featuring a transgender soldier, to two girls falling in love while mourning the death of Kurt Cobain, forbidden love in a sixteenth-century Spanish convent or an asexual girl discovering her identity amid the 1970s roller-disco scene, All Out tells a diverse range of stories across cultures, time periods and identities, shedding light on an area of history often ignored or forgotten."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena
YA Contemporary
February 27
"A timeless exploration of high-stakes romance, self-discovery, and the lengths we go to love and be loved.
Sixteen-year-old Zarin Wadia is many things: a bright and vivacious student, an orphan, a risk taker. She’s also the kind of girl that parents warn their kids to stay away from: a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school. You don't want to get involved with a girl like that, they say. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that.
This beautifully written debut novel from Tanaz Bhathena reveals a rich and wonderful new world to readers. It tackles complicated issues of race, identity, class, and religion, and paints a portrait of teenage ambition, angst, and alienation that feels both inventive and universal."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Barbed Wire Heart by Tess Sharpe
YA Thriller
March 6
"Never cut the drugs—leave them pure.
Guns are meant to be shot—keep them loaded.
Family is everything—betray them and die.
Harley McKenna is the only child of North County's biggest criminal. Duke McKenna's run more guns, cooked more meth, and killed more men than anyone around. Harley's been working for him since she was sixteen--collecting debts, sweet-talking her way out of trouble, and dreading the day he'd deem her ready to rule the rural drug empire he's built.
Her time's run out. The Springfields, her family's biggest rivals, are moving in. Years ago, they were responsible for her mother's death, and now they're coming for Duke's only weak spot: his daughter.
With a bloody turf war threatening to consume North County, Harley is forced to confront the truth: that her father's violent world will destroy her. Duke's raised her to be deadly--he never counted on her being disloyal. But if Harley wants to survive and protect the people she loves, she's got to take out Duke's operation and the Springfields.
Blowing up meth labs is dangerous business, and getting caught will be the end of her, but Harley has one advantage: She is her father's daughter. And McKennas always win."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
YA Historical Fantasy
April 3
"Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.
But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney
YA Fantasy
September 25
"The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.
Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally."
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke
YA Retelling
October 2
"Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired The Boneless Mercies, a genderbent Beowulf re-imagining in which four mercenary girls chase glory and honor by battling a monster that's been terrorizing a nearby earldom. Publication is slated for Fall 2018."
(cover to be revealed)
What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
YA Contemporary
October 2
"What If It’s Us opens as Arthur and Ben meet at the post office as Ben is shipping his ex-boyfriend’s things back to him. They subsequently endure the frustration of knowing there was a missed connection, before the universe pushes them back together again in a series of failed “first” dates."
So many books, so little time! What new books are you looking forward to this year?
Twitter-sized bite:
What 2018 books are you excited about? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
End of Year Countdown: 5 Top Fives of 2017
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| Photo credit: derekskey on Flickr |
But of course, last post of 2017 means it's time to continue Writability's annual tradition of sharing my five top fives. So here we go!
Top 5 Most Popular Posts (on Writability) of the Year
Like last year, I used Google Analytics to find the most popular posts of 2017. Interestingly, while some of them overlapped with last year, many of them didn't.
- Why Use Past Tense?
- Why Use Present Tense?
- Young Adult vs. New Adult: What's the Difference?
- Writing Tip: Describe with Telling Details—Setting
- How to Write a Great Twitter Pitch
Top 5 Favorite (Writerly) Tumblr Blogs of the Year
Tumblr is awesome and there's lots of great bookish stuff there. Here are many of the writerly/readerly blogs I reblog the most from.
Top 5 Favorite Books of the Year
- History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera for the beautifully heartbreaking feels.
- The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee for the outrageous laughs and warm fuzzies.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas for the brilliance that absolutely lives up to the hype.
- The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon for the really unique and beautifully done far-reaching story.
- Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller for an awesome genderfluid assassin fantasy story that works.
Top 5 Favorite Twitter Accounts
- @Celeste_pewter for her accurate, patient, and incredibly useful political knowledge and down-to-earth advice.
- @Bibliogato for their perfect blend of writerly and political tweets.
- @ericsmithrocks for his seriously adorable corgi and baby pictures mixed with hilariously relatable writerly and readerly tweets.
- @veschwab for her incredibly open and sobering writerly tweets.
- @RileyJayDennis for her consistently great information on trans issues.
Top 5 Favorite Movies of the Year
- Wonder Woman
- Thor: Ragnarok
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
- Logan
So those are my top fives of 2017—do you have any favorites of the year you'd like to share?
Happy New Year, everyone!
Twitter-sized bites:
Writer @Ava_Jae shares their top fives of 2017—what are some of your favorite writing resources of the year? (Click to tweet)
On Reading Many Books at Once
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| Photo credit: Dvortygirl on Flickr |
Then I started doing literature programs in college and I didn't have the luxury of sticking to my one book at a time rule.
Granted, I suppose I could have added all the pages I needed to read in a week (adding together the page counts of the books I needed to read) and then gone through one book at a time that way, but for some reason I've found it's less daunting to read 50 pages of one book and 30 pages of another book and 35 pages of yet another book than it is to read 115 pages of a single book. Which is silly, I know, because I'm reading 115 pages a day either way, but it doesn't feel like it as much as it would if I was reading that amount from a single book.
After I broke that rule initially years ago now, I started occasionally pleasure-reading multiple books at once, oftentimes because I'd get a book I was really excited about and couldn't wait to read so I'd dive into that one while still reading another one. It's not something I did often but...#noregrets.
The other thing book hopping allows me to do is get through books I'm not enjoying as much (a necessity, in literature programs because invariably there will be books I have to read I'm not really into) in bite-sized pieces. I'll tell myself, okay, I'll read 50 pages of this book I don't love first, then I'll get to read 65 pages of those other books I do like.
Granted, reading several books at once means it takes me longer to finish all of them—but it evens out because I end up finishing a bunch of them within a couple days as I near the end of every book around the same time.
Moving to reading a bunch of books at once has actually been easier than I anticipated, although it's quickly becoming clear to me that pleasure reading is a thing that's probably going to be rare as long as I have three (or more) books in a week to read for school. But that's okay—I'm reading lots of books I probably wouldn't have otherwise—or at least wouldn't have so soon. And that's certainly not a bad thing.
Do you read multiple books at once?
Twitter-sized bites:
Do you read multiple books at once? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
Vlog: How to Move Affordably with Lots of Books
Moving is expensive and moving when you have a lot of books, even more so. So today I'm sharing how I moved with over 100 books without breaking the bank.
RELATED VLOGS:
- Discussion: Hardcover? Paperback? E-book?: http://bit.ly/2tQHQEJ
- Where to Find Books to Read: http://bit.ly/2tbrNnc
Have you ever moved with a sizable library?
Twitter-sized bite:
Getting ready for a big move & not sure how to affordably transport your library? @Ava_Jae shares how they did it. (Click to tweet)
Vlog: Discussion: What Are Your Favorite Books?
It's time for another discussion vlog! Let's talk your favorite books from different genres. Sound off in the comments below!
RELATED LINKS:
RELATED LINKS:
- Where to Find Books to Read
- How to Read More
- Discussion: Hardcover? Paperback? E-book?
- Book Review: BLEEDING EARTH by Kaitlin Ward
- Book Review: SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo
- Book Review: FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell
- Book Review: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis
What are your favorite books from different genres?
Twitter-sized bite:
What are you favorite books? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
5 Favorite Reads of 2017 (So Far)
I'll openly admit I haven't read quite as much this year as I originally intended. This has been for a couple reasons, in part because I was flaring a lot at the beginning of the year and frequently found myself too exhausted to read (which is a thing, I learned), in part because I've been ridiculously busy and found myself with less reading time than usual, and in part because I also had an epic reading slump that really ate away at my reading motivation.
But that said! I've still read some really amazing books this year so far and I'd like to share my favorites until now. In no particular order:
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
YA Contemporary
Goodreads summary:
"When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.
To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.
If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life."Why I liked it: This book is a heartbreaker, and boy did it make me feel things from start to finish. I wrote a review talking about History in depth, but the short version is this story is raw, impactful, and just really beautifully written.
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
YA Historical Fiction
Goodreads summary:
"Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores."Why I liked it: I'm actually still reading this one, but I'm about 90% done and I've been loving every step of the journey. It's hilarious, compelling, and I'll be honest, seeing a major chronically ill character on the page has meant a lot to me. As a bonus, the protagonist, Monty, is very clearly bi from the first page so the book is super queer and super awesome.
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Adulthood is a Myth and Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen
Graphic Novel
Goodreads summary:
"These casually drawn, perfectly on-point comics by the hugely popular young Brooklyn-based artist Sarah Andersen are for the rest of us. They document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, and dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas. In other words, the horrors and awkwardnesses of young modern life. Oh and they are totally not autobiographical. At all.
Adulthood Is a Myth presents many fan favorites plus dozens of all-new comics exclusive to this book. Like the work of fellow Millennial authors Allie Brosh, Grace Helbig, and Gemma Correll, Sarah's frankness on personal issues like body image, self-consciousness, introversion, relationships, and the frequency of bra-washing makes her comics highly relatable and deeply hilarious."Why I liked it: I'm lumping these together because they're both very quick reads and related—but I loved these graphic novels so much. They're incredibly funny to begin with, and also super relatable, full of sketches about anxiety, stumbling through adulthood, and relationships. I definitely recommend them both for a quick read that'll make you laugh.
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
YA Contemporary
Goodreads summary:
"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life."Why I liked it: I obviously couldn't do a first half of 2017 book post without including THUG. I already reviewed this book and talked about why I felt it's so excellent and poignant, but the short version is the voice and story are both incredibly compelling and I truly believe it deserves every ounce of buzz it's gotten so far.
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living by Majula Martin
Writing Reference
Goodreads summary:
"A collection of essays from today’s most acclaimed authors—from Cheryl Strayed to Roxane Gay to Jennifer Weiner, Alexander Chee, Nick Hornby, and Jonathan Franzen—on the realities of making a living in the writing world.
In the literary world, the debate around writing and commerce often begs us to take sides: either writers should be paid for everything they do or writers should just pay their dues and count themselves lucky to be published. You should never quit your day job, but your ultimate goal should be to quit your day job. It’s an endless, confusing, and often controversial conversation that, despite our bare-it-all culture, still remains taboo. In Scratch, Manjula Martin has gathered interviews and essays from established and rising authors to confront the age-old question: how do creative people make money?
As contributors including Jonathan Franzen, Cheryl Strayed, Roxane Gay, Nick Hornby, Susan Orlean, Alexander Chee, Daniel Jose Older, Jennifer Weiner, and Yiyun Li candidly and emotionally discuss money, MFA programs, teaching fellowships, finally getting published, and what success really means to them, Scratch honestly addresses the tensions between writing and money, work and life, literature and commerce. The result is an entertaining and inspiring book that helps readers and writers understand what it’s really like to make art in a world that runs on money—and why it matters. Essential reading for aspiring and experienced writers, and for anyone interested in the future of literature, Scratch is the perfect bookshelf companion to On Writing, Never Can Say Goodbye, and MFA vs. NYC."Why I liked it: Unsurprisingly, I wrote a review for this one too, so if you want in-depth details you can check that out. But the brief version is I largely found this book eye-opening, honest, and encouraging (though some who read it found it depressing, so YMMV).
So those cover my top five favorite reads so far. What are yours?
Twitter-sized bite:
What are your top five favorite reads of the year so far? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
Discussion Vlog: Hardcover? Paperback? E-Book?
Trying out a new vlog format today: discussions! Let's talk your favorite book formats and what makes you choose one over the other. Sound off in the comments below!
RELATED VLOGS:
RELATED VLOGS:
What's your favorite book format? What makes you choose one format over the other?
Twitter-sized bite:
Hardcover? Paperback? E-book? What's your favorite book format? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's vlog. (Click to tweet)
Discussion: Top 5 TBR
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
My top five TBR right now includes:
- A Gathering of Shadows & A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab. Technically I'm cheating by including both books, but I'm nearing the end of my A Gathering of Shadows re-read (because it is a re-read) anyway. Next up will be A Conjuring of Light because the whole point of re-reading AGOS was to have everything fresh in my mind for ACOL. And honestly, I'm just impressed I haven't run into ACOL spoilers yet. (*knocks on wood*)
- Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller. I am super blessed because I managed to get my hands on a Mask of Shadows ARC which immediately leapt to the top of my TBR pile because I've been dying to get this book since I first sneakily heard about it before the publication announcement was up. Which is to say forever ago, or at least, it feels that way. But I have a copy, so you can bet I'll be reading this as soon as I'm done with the Shades of Magic trilogy.
- The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee. Technically this isn't out yet but I have a pre-order and I figure it'll be out by the time I finish AGOS, ACOL, and Mask of Shadows. (Given how long I've been re-reading AGOS, it's a pretty safe bet.) Anyway! This is another I've been super excited about since I saw the pub announcement and I'm absolutely delighted it's been getting reviewed so well because I really want to love it. And judging by the sample I heard already, I'm sure I will. :D
- The Girl From Everywhere & The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig. Cheating again with two books here, but like AGOS, my The Girl From Everywhere read is a re-read. I originally read TGFE way back in 2015 as an ARC, so I definitely want a refresher before I dive into my beautiful copy of The Ship Beyond Time. I expect it'll be a fun re-adventure.
- Wildcard. Obviously this isn't a book, but I'm letting myself cheat because technically I already have six books on this list. I'm not quite sure what I'll read after I get through this list, but I have a pretty large selection of unread books I own, so that won't be a problem. But I suppose it'll depend on my mood after I've read these books. Whatever I settle on, I'm sure it'll be excellent. :)
What books are on your top five TBR?
Twitter-sized bite:
What books are on your top five TBR? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
7 Diverse Fall 2017 Books I'm Psyched About
Somehow, the fall 2017 publication season is not that far away. Earlier in the year I did a diverse books for 2017 post, but I only covered the first half of the year, so now it's time to take a look at the books going forward that sound amazing.
I've been psyched about most of these for quite some time. Because they sound incredible.
Without further ado, here are seven I'm looking forward to:
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
The Girl with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke (September 1)
YA Historical Fantasy
Goodreads summary:
"When sixteen-year-old Ellie Baum accidentally time-travels via red balloon to 1988 East Berlin, she’s caught up in a conspiracy of history and magic. She meets members of an underground guild in East Berlin who use balloons and magic to help people escape over the Wall—but even to the balloon makers, Ellie’s time travel is a mystery. When it becomes clear that someone is using dark magic to change history, Ellie must risk everything—including her only way home—to stop the process."
Diversity note: Ellie is Jewish (#ownvoices).
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (September 5)
YA Contemporary
Goodreads summary:
"On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day."
Diversity note: Mateo (and possibly Rufus?) are Latino, and I'm guessing they are queer boys too (#ownvoices).
Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller (September 5)
YA Fantasy
Goodreads summary:
"Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class―and the nobles who destroyed their home.
When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand―the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears―Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge.
But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive."
Diversity note: Sal is gender fluid.
27 Hours by Tristina Wright (October 3)
YA Sci-Fi
Goodreads summary:
"Rumor Mora fears two things: hellhounds too strong for him to kill, and failure. Jude Welton has two dreams: for humans to stop killing monsters, and for his strange abilities to vanish.
But in no reality should a boy raised to love monsters fall for a boy raised to kill them.
Nyx Llorca keeps two secrets: the moon speaks to her, and she’s in love with Dahlia, her best friend. Braeden Tennant wants two things: to get out from his mother's shadow, and to unlearn Epsilon's darkest secret.
They’ll both have to commit treason to find the truth.
During one twenty-seven-hour night, if they can’t stop the war between the colonies and the monsters from becoming a war of extinction, the things they wish for will never come true, and the things they fear will be all that’s left."
Diversity note: I've heard the representation includes characters who are bisexual (#ownvoices), gay, pansexual, asexual, trans, deaf, and POC.
Not Your Villain by C.B. Lee (October 5)
YA Fantasy (Graphic novel)
Goodreads summary:
"Bells Broussard thought he had it made when his superpowers manifested early. Being a shapeshifter is awesome. He can change his hair whenever he wants, and if putting on a binder for the day is too much, he’s got it covered. But that was before he became the country’s most-wanted villain.
After discovering a massive cover-up by the Heroes’ League of Heroes, Bells and his friends Jess, Emma, and Abby set off on a secret mission to find the Resistance. Meanwhile, power-hungry former hero Captain Orion is on the loose with a dangerous serum that renders meta-humans powerless, and a new militarized robotic threat emerges. Everyone is in danger. Between college applications and crushing on his best friend, will Bells have time to take down a corrupt government?
Sometimes, to do a hero’s job, you need to be a villain."
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao (October 10)
YA Fantasy
Goodreads summary:
"Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?
Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute."
Diversity note: This is an #ownvoices East Asian fantasy reimagining.
Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi
MG Fantasy
Goodreads summary:
"Our story begins on a frosty night…
Laylee can barely remember the happier times before her beloved mother died. Before her father, driven by grief, lost his wits (and his way). Before she was left as the sole remaining mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood, destined to spend her days washing the bodies of the dead and preparing their souls for the afterlife. It’s become easy to forget and easier still to ignore the way her hands are stiffening and turning silver, just like her hair, and her own ever-increasing loneliness and fear.
But soon, a pair of familiar strangers appears, and Laylee’s world is turned upside down as she rediscovers color, magic, and the healing power of friendship. "
Diversity note: This is an #ownvoices dark Persian fantasy.
So that's a sampling of the books I'm psyched for this fall. What diverse falls books are you looking forward to?
Twitter-sized bite:
What diverse books releasing this fall are you psyched about? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
Guest Post: What Reading Picture Books Can Teach You About Writing Novels by M.E. Bond
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| Photo credit: Megan Hemphill (Prairie & Co) on Flickr |
- Mimic plot and structure. If you stop and think about what makes a satisfying picture book, you're sure to find applications for novel-writing. How is conflict introduced and resolved? How are surprise endings constructed? How do repeated imagery and phrases tie the story together?
- Reflect on rhyme and rhythm. You're probably not writing your novel in rhyme, but the rhyme and rhythm in a good picture book will inspire you to think about word choice and the cadence of your sentences.
- Know what to leave unsaid. Often the best part of reading picture books is studying the relationship between the words and pictures. Think about what you want to convey with your writing and what you should leave to your reader's imagination.
- Consider different ways to approach a story. You'll often find picture books on the same topics – be it counting, welcoming a new baby, or getting ready for bed – not to mention those based on traditional stories (like these two retellings of the same Jewish folktale). Let them guide you as you take some time to think about different approaches to story-telling.
- Find inspiration. The subject matter of picture books may well give you an idea for your next novel or an addition to your work in progress. For example, any of these 17 picture books about historical heroines could spawn a dramatic adult novel.
- Remember the joy of writing. When you're pressed for time reading aloud a beloved picture book may be the best way to remind yourself of the wonder of words and the magic of stories. Then you can press on, reinvigorated, to tackle your adult projects.
How do picture books inspire you? (And which are your favourite?)
M.E. Bond is a part-time writer and full-time mother living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She spends her writing time blogging about history, archives, and libraries, and endlessly revising her first novel, a mystery set on a university campus.
Twitter-sized bite:
What can you learn from reading picture books? @MEBond_writer shares her experience on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
On Reading Slumps
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| Photo credit: mark sebastian on Flickr |
It's not like I don't have good books to read (that is definitely not a problem *eyes growing TBR shelf*), but I've been finding that my motivation to read has just been...waning. Which it shouldn't be, because there've been so many books I want to read but when I sit down to actually get through some pages, I've been super easily distracted and just...in general struggling.
Maybe it's partially what I've been reading too? I've been enjoying the last several books overall, but it seems even when I'm invested the motivation has been lacking. I'm mostly hoping this too shall pass and I'll be back to my regular reading motivation levels soon, but for now it's been a struggle with nearly everything I've tried to read, which has been annoying.
#bookworm problems, I suppose. Or overworking problems, maybe.
I'm curious, though: what do you guise do when you hit a reading slump? What has gotten you through it?
Twitter-sized bite:
What do you do to get through a reading slump? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
Discussion: How Do You Feel About Hyped Books?
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| Photo credit: demandaj on Flickr |
But there have also been more than a handful of hyped books that I was cautiously interested in—or even very interested in—until early reviews came out, revealing problematic elements or disappointing things that made me remove the book from my TBR. Many have gone on to continue to be successful, but the early reviews made me pause and think twice before picking them up—for which I'm glad.
But there is always the chance, of course, that the massive hype surrounding a book will inflate expectations so much that it'll be hard for the book to live up to it. I think the closest experience I've had with that is a YA book I was really looking forward to for a specific aspect of representation—until a review came out with really troubling information and I pulled the book from my TBR. But I think, in most cases, I've been able to avoid too much disappointment in that area by either only pre-ordering the books if it's from an author I've loved before or if people I trust have said they read and loved an early copy of the book. By being somewhat cautious in that sense, I've been able to cut down on some reading experiences I wouldn't have enjoyed otherwise.
So I suppose, in a sense, the same source of (much of the) hype—social media—can also serve as a buffer for disappointment if you follow the right people. So for me, when I see a book getting hyped and I see people I trust giving it a thumbs up I can pretty safely pre-order without worry of disappointment. And it's worked well so far.
How do you feel about hyped books?
Twitter-sized bite:
How do you feel about hyped books? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
Discussion: What Are Your Favorite MG Reads?
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| Photo credit: Valerie Everett on Flickr |
My knowledge of Middle Grade books, however, is super limited. I've got quite a few excellent ones on my TBR, like The Gauntlet, Ravenous, Furthermore, The Lost Hero, The Sword of Summer, The Pants Project, Finding Perfect, Some Kind of Happiness, Amina's Voice, Love Sugar Magic, and Escape from Aleppo, but as I'd like to expand my Middle Grade repertoire, I figured what better way than to ask.
So who are your favorite MG authors? What are your favorite MG books? I'm especially trying to focus on MG reads with marginalized characters, if at all possible, but I'm pretty open to anything as long as it's well-paced. Shout out your recs!
Twitter-sized bite:
What are your favorite MG reads and authors? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
Vlog: 5 Ways to Support Your Favorite Authors (Again)
Well, the inevitable happened—after almost three years of vlogging I recorded a vlog on a topic I've already covered. But! This is a perspective from three years later and has a couple suggestions the 2014 one didn't. So enjoy. :)
RELATED LINKS:
RELATED LINKS:
- On Writing and Income (vlog)
- Don't Be a (Book) Pirate (vlog)
- The Unpredictable Nature of a Writing Career
What would you add to the list?
Twitter-sized bite:
Want to help support your favorite authors but not sure where to start? @Ava_Jae vlogs some suggestions. (Click to tweet)
Discussion: Do You Power Through Slow Openings?
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| Photo credit: Kamil Porembiński on Flickr |
I still haven't really pinned down what it was, exactly, that made it so easy for me to put the book down and not feel super motivated to pick it up again later. It wasn't like I was bored while I was reading (I wasn't!) but I guess I just wasn't invested in the first 100 pages as I generally like to be.
Over the weekend, however, I sat down and power through the pages partially because I felt bad for letting it sit there for a month, partially because my Goodreads challenge was (is) yelling at me, partially because my pre-orders of A Conjuring of Light, The Hate U Give, and The Ship Beyond Time are all arriving soon and I have some re-reads I need to get started on, and partially because I really wanted to finish it before picking up another YA. So I sat and read and after I got beyond the 100-page mark, I found it was not-so-difficult to keep reading because I was finally invested (yay!) and I ended up reading over 200 pages that day.
So now I've made good progress (finally) and I'm super hooked to the story (so hooked I chose to read it instead of playing more Final Fantasy XV, which is saying a lot) and I'll probably finish it before this posts. But all of that made me think about how usually, when I pick up a book with a slow opening in the store, or I hear about books with slow openings in reviews...I tend to walk away.
Granted this was a special case because the opening wasn't slow and I couldn't have predicted that the first 100 pages wouldn't pull me in despite liking so many elements, but the situation is similar. In my own writing, I always make sure to try to do my best to have a compelling opening, because I'm well aware a lot of readers testing a book won't give you the chance of a 100 pages for the story to get interesting unless they already like your writing—meaning they've already read your previous books and are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt—or for some, they've been told to read past the slow part and they're willing to do it.
When working with unpublished writers, my advice is similar—to make sure you have a compelling hook, because most agents and readers won't wait around for the story to get good for a writer they don't know.
But I think that's the key there, too—This Savage Song isn't the first Schwab book I've read, so even if I'd been bored by the opening, I still may have very well given the book a chance because I already know I love her work. Same goes for those pre-orders coming in save for The Hate You Give, which is a debut, but I pre-ordered them all without testing because I either already love the author's writing or I trust the people who've read the book and said it was awesome.
While I admit I don't test books quite as often as I used to because I tend to rely more heavily on word of mouth these days, I still tend to follow the unspoken agreement with myself that I won't waste my time on a boring book because quite frankly, I have way too much to read. So if I test a book out and don't love the opening—I put it back. Or if I browse book reviews and see more than one say they found the first third slow—I don't add it to my TBR.
But given my experience with This Savage Song, which I will probably be recommending with the caveat of "power through the first 100 pages," it does make me wonder how many other books I've passed by that I would actually enjoy after the first third or so.
I won't be finding out because I'm still keeping to my agreement with myself because I really shouldn't be taking over a month to finish a book. But it's interesting to think about nevertheless.
Do you power through slow openings? Always? In certain cases? Never? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Twitter-sized bite:
Do you power through slow book openings, or choose something else to read? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)
On Clearing Out Your TBR List
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| Photo credit: Au Kirk on Flickr |
For some of the books, that's okay—when I opened the summaries again I found I still wanted to read them, so I'll probably pick them up from my library sometime. Others, however, while looking at the summaries I realized I...probably wasn't going to get to them.
The truth was, my enormous TBR list was starting to feel a little overwhelming. So I went through my list and started removing books for these reasons:
- Reviews of poor representation. While this isn't an automatic no for me, especially if there's multiple groups represented and only one has an issue, if I was already iffy about the book, this made it easy for me to remove. At this point, I've decided I honestly just have too much to read to make time for super problematic books. If an issue is small, and I'm still really interested in the book, then I may very well read with the criticism in mind—but if it was a huge problem, or an issue I'm sick of seeing, then this made it easy for me to pull a book off my TBR.
- Sequels for books I haven't read yet. I suppose I originally added sequels for books I haven't read so I wouldn't forget about them—but it occurred to me that especially for a series longer than three books, it really didn't make sense for sequels to take up space on my shelf when I wasn't sure how much I'd like the previous books.
- Books I'd added years ago that I'm not enthusiastic about anymore. I mean, this happens—and I had to remind myself it's okay that my tastes have changed over the years.
- Books I own...but don't really want to read anymore. I'll admit I felt bad about this one—I have ARCs from a conference in 2014 that I'd 100% intended to read and review when I got them, but I ended up not getting around to. Some of them I still plan to read, but some of them I've lost interest, so I've decided to donate them so someone will still get some enjoyment out of them.
Between the four I was able to trim down my TBR a pretty sizable amount. And while it likely won't last because I stumble on new books that sound amazing every day, it did provide a useful refresh to more accurately represent when I'm currently interested in reading.
Have you cleared out your TBR list recently?
Twitter-sized bite:
Is your TBR list overwhelming? @Ava_Jae shares how she recently helped trim hers down. (Click to tweet)
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