Waiting on Wednesday: The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.  Its purpose is to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

This week I’m eagerly awaiting:

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

Expected release: May 10, 2012

Elizabeth Margaret—better known as Em—has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn’t. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time.

(summary via Goodreads)

Maybe it’s the fact that it’s starting to get really, really cold, but I find myself looking forward to books about summer.  This one looks like it’s going to be a cute, frothy little read, and I can’t wait to get into it when it’s released in May.  Coming-of-age novels are my favorite, and this one fits that theme.

What are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Winter Reading

Today’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the Broke and the Bookish, is all about the books you’re looking forward to reading this winter.  I’m pretty excited to have a month off from grad school.  I want to get some serious reading done.

About half of these books are already out.  The rest will be released between now and the beginning of March (which is what I consider to be the start of spring, no matter what the weather does).  A few are adult fiction titles, but for the most part, these are YA novels.  Here we go!

1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

The buzz for Mafi’s debut novel about a girl who can kill with a single touch has been insane.  I don’t know if it’s because she’s such a presence on Twitter or in the blogosphere, but something has made this book deal really stand out (at least to me).  Even though reviews have been mixed–people either love it or trip over Mafi’s prose–I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy and read this.  It’s happening this winter for sure.

2. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

A book that has definitely been featured in one of my Waiting on Wednesday posts, Handler’s Why We Broke Up is something that’s been on my radar for a while now.  I love the concept of this novel, and I can’t wait to see what the former Lemony Snicket has in store for readers.

3. A Million Suns by Beth Revis

The sequel to Revis’s debut Across the Universe, this is some of the best YA science-fiction currently being offered.  Even though I thought the first one meandered a bit too much (when you have dual perspectives it’s easy to get a little stuck), I’m still intrigued enough to pick up this follow-up.  Everyone needs a little space adventure now and then.

4. Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Wither, DeStefano’s debut, was one of those books that grew in my esteem the longer I thought about it.  Beautifully written with wonderfully-developed characters, it was a dystopian that put others to shame.  It was a novel that was strong enough to stand on its own.  While part of me wishes that it had been a standalone, another part of me is really, really glad that there’s a sequel, and that it’s coming out soon, because I can hardly wait.

I am tired of the heroin-chic models on the covers, though.

5. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

Jennifer Close’s send-up of wedding culture in America is a book that I feel obligated to read, for a variety of reasons.  Supposedly very funny and poignant, I’ve been on the library waiting list for this one for a while.  I’m going to get to it this winter, though.  I can feel it!

6. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Another book I’m waiting for at the library.  Taylor’s Smoke and Bone has been garnering rave reviews–and it feels like it might be a quiet pop culture phenomenon.  You guys know how I feel about pop culture phenoms–at least, I hope you do–I have to be in on them.  The book is maybe a little heavy on magic/fantasy for my tastes, but from what I’ve heard, this is a book that cannot be missed.  And so I won’t miss it.

7. After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy

It was actually Jordyn’s review of this book at Ten Cent Notes that made me think I might like to read it.  The premise is something that I think I’d like: told from the perspective of two girls who get involved with the same boy, the novel deals with the fallout–you guessed it–after a kiss.  This in and of itself would be enough to recommend the book to me.  Then I read McVoy’s debut, Pure, and decided I liked her voice.  Now this book is high on my to-read list, and I can’t wait to get into it.

8. The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Another book that I’ve featured in Waiting on Wedesday, this is a book that I cannot wait to read.  You guys, it’s a book set in the 90s and deals with Facebook.  How could I not want to read this?  Reviews have been mixed, but as a true child of the nineties, I think I might really enjoy this one.

9. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Another dystopian.  This one features a heroine named Aria, a virtual world, and an expulsion from society.  All good things, in terms of a compelling story.  The reviews on this one have been pretty positive, and I’m more than a little excited to read it.  As much as I complain, it takes a lot for me to tire of a good dystopian.

10. Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

I just finished Sullivan’s Maine and pretty much loved it.  It was a slow burn of a read, and the characters have stayed with me since I finished the book early last week.  Commencement was her first novel, and it features recent college grads looking to their futures.  While I’ve heard some mixed things about this one, the fact that I loved Maine so much tells me that I might really like this one, too.  Another book I’m waiting for at the library.

What books are you most looking forward to this winter? 

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  The purpose of the meme is to discuss books we are reading this week, as well as books we completed the previous week.

Books I Completed Last Week:
Teens Happen by Shea Rouda: This one didn’t work for me at all.  I can see where they were going with this advice book, but there’s nothing novel about it.
The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani: I loved this middle grade novel about identity and family.  Review to come.

Books I’m Reading This Week:
Countdown by Deborah Wiles: Reading for children’s lit.  So far I like the format more than the actual story.
Reel Life Starring Us by Lisa Greenwald: I don’t know what all the MG novels are about these days, but there it is.  So far, this one is super cute.

What are you reading this week?

In My Mailbox (36)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  This meme allows bloggers to share the books they’ve received over the course of the week.  I’m trying to participate in part because I think it’s fun, and in part because I want to keep track of what I’m getting (and how that differs from what I’m reading).

From the Library:
Countdown by Deborah Wiles: For Children’s lit.  We’ll see.
Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han: Another book for children’s lit.  I’m kind of excited about this one.

That’s it for this week because I’m so overwhelmed with school, work, etc.

What’s in your mailbox this week?

Top 5: Five Favorite Episodes of Veronica Mars

Confession: I haven’t been watching very many movies this month.  My life is pretty busy, and I don’t have the time commitment for a full-length movie.  At this point, I can basically commit to something that is between 20-40 minutes.  Thus, I’m watching a lot of TV on DVD.  As a result, I have no movies to review.  So why not do a top 5 list relating to TV?

My rules for this meme are simple: 1) the TV show has to have completed its run; and 2) I must provide a rationale for why each episode made the cut.  Veronica Mars is up first.

1. Leave it to Beaver (1.22)

Veronica: I was hoping it would be you.

The first season’s finale finds Veronica finally solving the mystery of Lilly’s murder.  Heightened drama means that Veronica finds herself in pretty serious danger, but her father Keith comes to her rescue just in time.  Veronica also kicks her mother out of the house after finding out that she checked out of rehab and is drinking again.

Perhaps one of the most suspenseful episodes of Veronica Mars ever, this one has it all:  adventure, danger, attempted murder, and family confrontations.  The mystery being solved provides some closure for viewers while opening up more questions still.  This episode is amazing, you guys.

2. Donut Run (2.11)

Logan: Old Italian ladies don’t grieve like this. Boy, he must’ve really loved Meg.

Veronica: Well, then there’s that other thing. You know, he can’t see his baby.

Logan: A baby? How’d that happen?

Duncan breaks up with Veronica and then skips town with his baby after Meg dies.  That sentence seems ridiculously dramatic, and I suppose it is, but this episode made it work.  One of the best episodes in terms of Veronica’s plotting, Donut Run said goodbye to Duncan and hello to one of Veronica and Keith’s very worst fights.  It also guest-starred Lucy Lawless as an FBI agent with one of the weirdest, worst accents I’ve ever heard.

Twisty and full of surprises, this episode stands out in my mind as one of the best because of its emotional resonance (and great use of music).  There’s no way that I watch this episode and don’t cry.  It’s that good.

3. Ain’t No Magic Mountain High Enough (2.13)

Veronica: Look who I found: Miss Trashy-Trash. We marked your words before, and I don’t know if you know this, but they formed this, like, totally false accusation. I know. Yikes. I figured you might welcome the opportunity to apologize.

The entire gang at Neptune High attends the annual winter carnival in hopes of making enough money to pay for the senior class trip.  When $12,000 goes missing, everyone’s a suspect, including Veronica, Jackie, and Weevil.  It’s up to Veronica to clear their names (or catch Weevil flat-out).

Without a doubt, this is my favorite stand-alone episode of the

series.  It has a decent mystery, to be sure, but it’s really the zingers and one-liners that get thrown around that make me love this episode so much.  Veronica hams it up big time in this episode, and it really works.  Love this episode.

4. Not Pictured (2.22)

Keith: For you, on this momentous occasion.

Veronica: A pony?!

Graduation day is finally here, and as Veronica gets ready to leave Neptune High forever, they also get closer to solving who was behind the bus crash.  Veronica makes the final, shocking discovery just as Keith manages to capture on-the-lamb Woody Goodman.  Not everyone survives graduation night, though, as there’s an explosion on a plane and a suicide off the roof of the Neptune Grand.

Arguably the other most suspenseful episode of Veronica Mars, the second season finale leaves viewers feeling emotionally wrought and worried about the future of the characters.  The person behind the bus crash came as a total surprise, and the episode’s cliff-hanger left fans wondering what was next.

5. The Bitch is Back (3.20)

Nish: Oh, my God. Politicians. Tycoons. Celebrities. This is gold. You’re gonna make some very powerful men very unhappy.

Veronica: Won’t be the first time.

The series’ very last episode ends with a cliff-hanger that many fans were upset by.  Keith compromises his chances at being elected Balboa County Sheriff after he destroys evidence that puts Veronica at the scene of a crime.  Meanwhile, Veronica manages to piss of Jake Kane even further by pulling a fast one on him.

How could I not include the last episode ever of one of my favorite TV shows?  The episode itself is a strong one–full of strong writing and acting and a compelling story line, but it’s more than that–whenever I watch this episode, I feel a sense of loss that the show is over and there are no more episodes to watch.  Basically, it means it’s time to start watching them again.  Vicious cycle.

What do you guys think?  What episodes did I miss? And if you haven’t watched the show before: what are you waiting for?

Book Review: Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti

Marisa is ready to start her sophomore year of high school and find herself a boyfriend.  Newly recovered from a bad case of depression, she’s found ways to cope with her feelings, but she still feels like something is missing from her life.  Enter Derek, the school’s cutest boy and her new boyfriend.  But if Derek is the one for her, why does she keep spending so much time with her geeky lab partner Nash?  And who is Dirty Dirk, the secret late-night radio host with advice for her high school peers?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have pretty big news: this is the first Susane Colasanti book I’ve ever liked.  Did I still struggle with the book’s predictability?  Yes, but less so than with other Colasanti books.  With this novel, Colasanti managed to craft a cute little romance novel with just enough quirks to work.

Although Colasanti doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but she does provide a fairly fresh take on an old trope.  It helps that Colasanti’s novel is full of authentic teen dialogue and clever pop-culture references (although, are they a little outdated?  Are teens still watching My So-Called Life?).  Marisa’s first-person narrative provides all the normal teen angst one would expect.

Several things are done exceedingly well in Colasanti’s novel.  The first of these things is the portrayal of Marisa’s depression.  Colasanti doesn’t shy away from the fact that Marisa will struggle with depression for the rest of her life.  Instead, she provides insight into what it’s like to manage that depression.  Also done well is the slow deterioration of Marisa’s parents’ marriage.  These are the most realistic aspects of the story.

What doesn’t entirely work is the romance. While it’s no surprise that Marisa finds herself torn between two guys, one of the relationships is beautifully done and extremely well-developed while the other suffers from stereotypes.  Critical readers are likely to be frustrated by the fact that Colasanti is clearly pushing favor towards one boy over the other.

That said, it’s still a fun romance story.  Funny, clever, and cute, this is going to work well for readers who like smarter chick lit.

Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti. Viking Juvenile: 2009. Library copy.

Top 5 Special: 5 Thanksgiving-Themed Movies

I always think of the week of Thanksgiving as a sort of fake-week.  If you’re in school, pretty much nothing gets done in the three days before the holiday.  If you’re working, it’s nearly impossible to concentrate as you wait for a long weekend (if you’re lucky enough to get the weekend off).  Because I’m all about the procrastination (despite the fact that this research paper isn’t going to write itself), here’s a list of 5 of my favorite Thanksgiving-themed movies.

1. Home for the Holidays (1995)

Claudia: You know, maybe next year will be better for you.
Russell:  Hey, yeah – or worse.

After losing her job, making out with her ex-boss, and finding out that her sixteen-year-old daughter plans to spend the holiday with her boyfriend, Claudia reluctantly goes home alone to have Thanksgiving with her crazy, passive-aggressive family.

Directed by Jody Foster and boasting an impressive cast, including Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, Robert Downey, Jr., Claire Danes, and Steve Gutenberg, this movie is full of quirky character and the universal theme of crazy families.  Cute, clever, and well-done all around.

In all honesty, this might be one of my favorite holiday-themed movies of all time.  I love this movie hardcore.  If you haven’t seen it, you should rectify that this week.  It’s worth it.

2. Pieces of April (2003)

Joy: I only have one nice April memory.  Only one. She was about three or four, and she was sitting at the window. And she turned to me and said, “Oh mother, don’t you just love every day?”

When black-sheep April invites her entire family to her apartment for Thanksgiving, she doesn’t realize what a trial the entire thing will be.  As her boyfriend tries to find a suit to borrow, April grapples with the fact that her oven is broken–which means she can’t cook the turkey.  As her family travels from their affluent Pennsylvania suburb to Aprils dingy NYC apartment, the families issues are laid out to be dealt with.

This quiet little independent film boasts a pretty decent cast, too: Patricia Clarkson (who is my secret girlfriend), Oliver Platt, and Katie Holmes before she became a Scientologist.

Pretty much the only thing I can watch Katie Holmes in, if we’re being honest.

3. Son In Law (1993)

Becca:  What are you wearing?
Crawl: Cheek-chillers, you likes?
Becca: I hates.

A quiet farm girl gets a total makeover during her first semester of college.  When it comes time for her to go home for Thanksgiving, she freaks out and ends up taking her eccentric RA with her.  The two make waves in her small farm town.

Yes, this is a Pauly Shore movie.  I’m sorry about that.  I really am.  But this movie is part of my childhood, and I kind of love it for that.  It’s fun to watch actors who were relevant in the 90s (I’m looking at you, Tiffany Amber-Theissen) and gawk at the terrible 90s clothes I thought were so awesome almost 20 years ago (ugh.  I’m getting old).

4. A Rugrats Thanksgiving (1997)

It’s a pretty basic premise: the rugrats experience their first Thanksgiving.  Shenanigans ensue.

Okay, so this one is a little bit of a cheat, as it’s more of a Thanksgiving special than a movie.  But it’s The Rugrats!  I loved them as a child!  How could you not?

5. The Ice Storm (1997)

Janey : Ben, you’re boring me. I have a husband. I don’t have a need for another one.

It’s 1973, and for one suburban Connecticut neighborhood, all is not well.  As parents and children alike experiment with drugs, sex, and general debauchery, things go horribly awry with lasting consequences.

This is not going to be a feel-good Thanksgiving movie.  I feel like I should get that out there right away.  But really, what Thanksgiving holiday is ever really feel-good?  Yours?  Mine definitely isn’t.  Might as well spice things up with some key parties!  Besides, everyone in this movie is so deeply, profoundly unhappy that it’s pretty much guaranteed to make you feel better about your own life.

That’s it for now, readers.  I hope you have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Waiting on Wednesday: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.  Its purpose is to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

This week I’m eagerly awaiting:

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Expected release date: June 2012

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam’s world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?

(summary via Goodreads)

I don’t know what it is about this book that I’m so drawn to.  There’s something about a story featuring next door neighbors that fascinates me.  I read a very brief excerpt of this one and thought it seemed funny and cute, which makes for an overall pleasant reading experience.  This kind of love story, when done well, is compelling for me.  Mostly, though, it seems like it’s going to be a good summer read.  Because it’s due out in June next year, I think it might be a perfect summer read.

What are you waiting on this week?

Book Review: Pure by Terra Elan McVoy

For Tabitha, the issue has always been black-and-white.  She and her four best friends have worn purity rings since they were young, promising to remain virgins until marriage.  Now that Tabitha is fifteen, her ring has only grown in its importance to her.  The rings help bond the friends together, too.  But when Tabitha meets a boy who she really likes, she starts to struggle with what it all means.  When her best friend, Morgan, is less than supportive, Tabitha feels hurt and confused.  This is made worse when Tabitha finds out a secret that could tear their group apart forever.

There’s always the potential to alienate readers with controversial topics.  In Terra Elan McVoy’s debut novel, there’s plenty here to push the envelope.  The girls in McVoy’s book are openly religious and devoted to remaining “pure” until marriage.  The concept of purity rings, outside of fairly conservative populations, is a fairly foreign concept.  A story like this could easily careen off into the land of didactic narration or preachiness, and yet, for the most part, McVoy crafts a story that is balanced, thoughtful, and reflective.

Much of this credit should be given to the way that McVoy portrays female friendship in this novel.  Tabitha’s interactions with her prickly, often self-righteous best friend Morgan are particularly profound and nuanced.  However, Tabitha’s relationships with the other girls in her social circle are also well-crafted and authentic.  The varying levels of closeness that Tabitha has with each girl never feels stereotypical.  McVoy nails the mindset of teenagers and does well with their speech patterns, too.

Credit should also be given to how McVoy navigates modern Christian teens.  The girls in McVoy’s novel are deeply religious and very active in their youth groups.  Tabitha struggles to reconcile her Christian beliefs with her feelings and the actions of her friends, and the reader gets to be part of the process.  There is a thoughtfulness to Tabitha that is refreshing to see.  At the same time, though, Tabitha is so perfect that it became hard to stomach.

At the same time, the book dragged slightly because the reader had so much insight into Tabitha’s mind.  Both the narration and the plot lagged in the middle section, and this reader couldn’t help but wonder if a little editing would have tightened up the pacing.  It was all a little…bland.

This book is going to work best for girls looking for books about spiritual teens.  There’s no language or real sexual content, which should placate worried parents.  The issues are well-explored, but the book doesn’t offer easy answers, which means that teens will have to think long and hard about the characters and their stories.

Recommended.

Pure by Terra Elan McVoy. Simon & Schuster: 2009.  Library copy.

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  The purpose of the meme is to discuss books we are reading this week, as well as books we completed the previous week.

Books I Completed Last Week:
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan: I liked this one.  I have a lot of thoughts about it.  Review to come.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling: Very cute.  Very funny.

Books I’m Reading This Week:
The Magicians by Lev Grossman: A friend lent this to me and I’m excited to get into it.

What are you reading this week?